Get cosy & comfortable @ Upstairs Cafe, Subang SS12

After some pestering, I bowed to the pressure and joined my new housemates for some Friday tea. The weather was perfect with the sun failing to pierce the clouds but providing just enough brightness.

The time called for something comfortable. Somewhere you can just sit and watch the world pass by. Come upstairs then, because Upstairs Cafe is a more than ideal place to relax and unwind with your friends.

Located opposite Subang Jaya Medical Center (SJMC), Upstairs Cafe is supposedly run by the son of the owner of the establishment downstairs; Kafe Bawang Merah which according to a lot of reviews, serves one of the best home-cooked Malay cuisine in town! Then I guess I have to try that one of these days ;)







Back upstairs, Upstairs Cafe offers great ambiance and comfort inside and also 3 tables on its balcony for those who prefer the fresh air and outside view. If I had to compare it to something more known, Upstairs would be like Secret Recipe dining meet Starbucks interior design.












Upstairs serves a variety of items to munch on including fruit and nut cakes, cheese cakes, pies, and pastries. To go with them; a selection of coffees, teas, hot and cold beverages with most of them unique and not the standard brands you see at other coffee shops. Cakes, pies and pastries range anywhere between RM3 and RM8. Not the cheapest, but definitely taste good and authentic.

Fluffy Carrot Cake with assortment of fresh and crunchy nuts

Moist traditional-styled Chicken Pie

This was basically what we had for tea. But during lunch and dinner, you may order from the chef's personal range of pasta dishes which are priced very reasonably.

Kafe Bawang and Upstairs Cafe are a unique father-son business establishment which seems to be striking silver. Traditional Malay cuisine meets modern contemporary cafe.

Upstairs Cafe

1st Flr, 12A, Jalan SS12/18

Subang Jaya, Selangor

Opening Hours: 3:00pm-11:00pm, Mon-Sat

Closed: Sun

Tel: 03-5611 9171

KK - Noodles of Sabah

If Kuching was the capital of Malaysia for pork, then Kota Kinabalu has to be the capital of Malaysia for noodles! I have not seen such a variety of noodles anywhere in the country. And they just don't differ in shape in size, but in taste and texture as well. Noodles in KK are a very local and personal affair, so our host Brenda was key to understanding the different types of noodles available here.

First up is Beaufort Noodles. This homemade noodles gets its name from the district it was created in; Beaufort. At Kim Fah Restaurant located in Plaza Grand Millennium, Penampang, Beaufort Fried Noodles is stir fried with your usual ingredients of vegetables and healthy portions of pork chunks and slices.


I'm no expert when it comes to defining how noodles taste like, but I would say this dish brought out a nice smoky flavor to the noodles.



Be aware that portions in KK tend to be very large. A bowl of noodles of RM 5 or 6 can easily feed two small to medium eaters, especially those with small breakfast appetites.

At Jia Siang Coffeehouse at Lintas Plaza, Penampang, you can get the local favorite of Sang Nyuk Mien. Here, your choice of noodles is served with a bowl full of pork chunks, pork balls, and a broth that smells full of pork goodness! They also serve other dishes such as a delightful dish of homemade taufoo and dry and wet noodles. 

Mui Hiong Coffeehouse in Lintas is home to another famous variant and crowd favorite; Roasted Duck Noodles. I personally like duck. Maybe because I'm bored of eating chicken all the time. Haha, but there's something about the toughness and aroma of duck meat that always draws me to it. Anyways, duck meat and noodles? Definitely can't go wrong. But wait, whats this white thing? Pork roll; available only in Sabah is literally ground pork wrapped with egg. You got to try it if you are here as you wont find it anywhere else.

If there has to be a piece de resistance for the noodles of Sabah, it has to be this! Ye Fung Coffeehouse along Gaya Street serves Laksa that is to die for! The laksa here differs from other laksa in Malaysia such as in Penang and Sarawak as they add a lot more coconut milk, giving it a richer and more curry-like flavor. But kid me not, this has to be the best laksa i have tasted in my life! Don't you dare leave KK without trying it! Gaya Street is located in the heart of KK town and hosts a big bazaar along its entire street every Sunday morning. More on that later.

Tom Yam is another popular dish here in Sabah. Like the laksa, tom yam here is infused with more coconut milk. Together with large fresh prawns and fried fish, Dat Seng Coffeehouse in Inanam Bussiness Centre servers an excellent combination of sour and spicy tom yam noodles.





Like Beaufort, the district of Tuaran is home to noodles of their own. We had the privilege of having our host's mum cook us Tuaran Noodles and again what you get is another type of noodles which taste different from all the others tried before.Thank you aunty! :)

On our final morning in KK, Brenda brought us to our final meal. Sob Sob :(

This is another must try. Homemade noodles served with your choice of pork meats, innards or sausages, and dressed with a light sauce. This dish is really something. It may look simple but the tenderness of the noodles was amazing and it went superbly with the light dressing. This was one noodles in KK I could have had a second round of. Unfortunately, we were rushing for our flight back. But for the rest of you, remember to stop by Wah Juan Coffeehouse in Tanjung Aru along the road heading to KK airport. But be warned, they are packed in the mornings, so do remember to allocate more time ;)

KK and Sabah is home to a wide variety of noodles as we have seen here. Its safe to say that noodles are the staple food of modern day Sabahans with each district famous for their own local specialty. The coffeehouses we visited were among the countless scattered all across the land. For those not familiar with KK, I shall try to get the coordinates for these locations. Till then, happy drooling :)

KK - Arrival, Tea & Beautiful Sunset

What better way to blog my recent KK adventure with a new layout for my beloved blog. I think it was long due for a revamp anyway :) Hope you all like it!

KK is my furthest travel destination to date, the previous being Kuching. Talk about the East Coast ;) 6 days may seem long, but sadly its not enough if you truly want to experience everything Sabahan.

Imagine what life would have been without AirAsia.. Since its officially my vacation, I couldn't keep my itchy fingers away from the cabin food of theirs. Hence I and SS decided to share Pak Nasser's Nasi Lemak (RM9). Yes! I'm traveling with SS! :) The meal was satisfactory, but nothing like how it was advertised; typical. Anyway, the 2 1/2 hours was spent eating, sleeping, and UNO-ing.

Upon arrival, we were picked up by our host; Brenda who we will be staying and traveling with the next 6 days. We were a bit hungry, so decided to stop at one of the local tea scenes in Penampang. The sight of "cakui kahwin" immediately grabbed my attention! Freshly fried cakui sliced in the middle and doused with butter and kaya, sinful goodness! Their Char Siew Pau was another treat, meatier and more red in colour as compared to most West Malaysian versions. A good start for my tummy I must say :)

As it was approaching late evening, we headed to Sutera Harbour Resort in KK town to catch perhaps the best sunset I've caught in the whole of Malaysia. The clear and unobstructed view from here is both amazing and breathtaking. One should not miss it if you're in the vicinity of the area. More sunset pictures here.

Keep watching for upcoming posts on the sights and tastes of Sabah.

Soph's Birthday @ Pavillion & Paradize Poolside Coffee House

It was Sophia's 23rd birthday, and the gang had something in store for her. First of all, Happy 23rd Birthday to you again Soph :)

Most of you are already aware of the variety of food available at Pavilion KL's Food Republic. You see visit my previous visit here. After luring Soph to the western corner of Food Republic, we delved into their wide array of dishes immediately as we were all starving as hell. Sorry Soph, I didn't get to take a picture of your "maggi mee" tom yam soup :p

From the western corner (clockwise); we ordered fettucine carbonara, lemon dill fish, pizza (forgot which flavor), and beef & mushroom fettucine. The western and Italian-themed dishes here are relatively cheap but tasty at the same time. This is one food court you must not underestimate. Perhaps because this chain is from Singapore ;p 

After satisfying our stomachs, we took a short drive over the corner to Paradize Poolside Coffee House, located in the compound of the KL Lodge Hotel. Paradize is nicely set up with a small pool outside surrounded with wooden chairs and tables, and a fair amount of greenery.

Venture inside and its time to shake your body with some latin music! Every Fridays at Paradize is Latin Night! Dance Bachata, Merengue, and Salsa to their latin beats on a very nice and open dancing space. Expect a lot of good and seasonal dancers here. Do not be overwhelmed by your inexperience as there are also beginners around including myself :p

Entry is charged based on your choice of beverage; RM10 for a mineral water, RM15 for a Tiger, or RM20 for a Corona. Ironically Paradize Coffee House is known for their Teo Chew Porridge, but perhaps another time when we're not dancing :)

Overall it was a good night; good dancing and good sweating.. The most fun way to loose weight.. Dancing..

Paradize Poolside Coffee House

KL Lodge Hotel

2 Jalan Tengah
Corner Jalan Raja Chulan & Sultan Ismail
50250 Kuala Lumpur

And the winner is

Actually it was suppose to be more than this but then I realized I did not have pictures of all the franchises. Hence this shall be a more 'wordy' post :p

Dunkin' Donuts
www.dunkindonuts.com

Dough : 5/10
Sweetness : 7/10
Presentation : 6/10

Sometimes it feels Dunkin' Donuts has given up and raised the white flag after the emergence of Big Apple and J.CO. Their quality, taste, and promotions has not improved one bit. Hard and cold doughs and poor service at certain outlets compound their misery.

Big Apple
www.bigappledonuts.com

Dough : 9/10
Sweetness : 8/10
Presentation 8/10

Nothing much to complain about. Good tasting doughs with sometimes a bit too much sugar in their coatings. Attractive promotions and bright and colorful outlets.

J.CO
www.jcodonuts.com

Dough : 10/10
Sweetness : 9/10
Presentation : 9/10

If you thought Big Apple was perfect, then J.CO will blow you away! Audaciously soft and addictive dough, melts in your mouth with every bite. Their outlet at Pavilion KL is also a showcase of interior designing and presentation.

Krispy Kreme
www.krispykreme.com.my

Dough : 7/10
Sweetness : 7/10
Presentation : 8/10

Times Square was abuzz with excitement when it was announced Krispy Kreme will be opening an outlet there. Their first week was hectic. Everyone was caught up in the hype that Krispy Kreme is in fact the best donuts franchise in the world. But something happened when it landed here in Malaysia. Nearly everyone who has eaten their donuts have complained of how over the top sugary it is. They probably thought Malaysians love sugar to our diabetes-related-deaths. The dough left a lot to be desired as well. During my first visit to Krispy Kreme, I accidentally dropped my donut on the floor but was not dissapointed or sad. It must have been that bad..


Well, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that the

KING OF THE DONUTS! is...... J.CO !!!

Wow.. Even I'm not surprised.. Adios people, Better queue up early. You know how long the lines there can get ;)

King of the Donuts!

Dunkin

Big Apple

J.CO

Krispy Kreme


All names synonymous with the local donuts scene..

But which does actually serve the best donuts in Malaysia?

The upcoming post shall examine them one by one and the winner will be determined!

Crowned KING OF THE DONUTS! ... Malaysian Edition!



*rubinho's ratings are based on his personal opinion and need not reflect the views of the public

Tappers Caffe @ CapSquare

Located in the quieter section of Kuala Lumpur city center is Capital Square; a newly built social and dining destination. Located along Jalan Mushi Abdullah, Capital Square provides adequate and cheap underground parking of RM2 (FREE if you watch a movie at TGV CapSquare).

To live up to its name of the latest dining experience in town, CapSquare boasts outlets such as Modesto, Tappers Caffe, Coffee Bean, Starbucks, Jarrod & Rawlins, Four Seasons Chinese Restraurant, Kohinoor Indian Restaurant, Bayernhaus, Thai La, and Urbanatic.

Although the list seems impressive, there are still many empty lots, and because the flow of people there is not heavy, it can get really quiet at night. But if you are looking for a quiet place to walk around, have a meal, and watch a movie, this is your place.

Earth Hour Walk 2009 was held here back in March. It provided CapSquare with much needed publicity. Due to its location and lack of entertainment outlets, most people are still drawn to KLCC which is located only 1km away.

Back to the food road; Tappers Caffe. A hearty meal required before catching X-Men Origins! :)

Hot Coffee ~ RM2.50

Tappers Caffe is a modern version of an old coffee shop selling a fusion of dishes with Malaysian roots. A hot cup of coffee to start things up. Thick and savory.

Mutton Rendang Rice ~ RM11(approx)

Since it was only the two of us, SS being the other, we decided to get 2 dishes and share them. First up, Mutton Rendang Rice. I wouldn't had imagine any place outside home that would serve mutton like Tappers did. Fat-less mutton chunks cooked to tender perfection and encrusted with rich rendang flavor. I was truly amazed. Being an Indian, my taste buds are all hot and spicy, but the dish did not disappoint. Rice is served with prawn crackers, cucumber slices, egg, and a light onion garnishing.

Hainanese Chicken Chop ~ RM10(approx)

Next up, a nothern Hainanese influenced Chicken Chop. Ironicly, Yut Kee Coffeeshop, famous for its Hainanese Chops, is located not far from here (going soon!) Its very hard to get authentic Hainanese Chops these days. Tappers Caffe's version of the dish was not bad. 2 pieces of chicken deep fried till golden-crusted and topped off wit steamed potatoes and vegetables, and a tomato-based sauce. The sauce could have been thicker and less sweet. Well not the best chops you'll find around, but a satisfactory meal :)

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I'm drinking to remember... - Wolverine

Tappers Caffe
G21, Persiaran CapSquare
Capital Square
50100 Kuala Lumpur
03-2691 2888

Toast Box @ Pavilion

Goodbye Kluang Station.. Goodbye Old Town.. Welcome Toast Box!

Toast Box, belonging to Singapore-based BreadTalk Group is your kampung-kopitiam styled coffee house much like Old Town White Coffee, the more renowned coffee house franchise here in Malaysia.




I've visited its outlet in Food Republic at Pavilion, Bukit Bintang about 4 times in the last month already.


Nearly everything on the menu is tempting to try, what more with does delicious-looking pictures =)

Everyone knows a good cup of coffee has to have condensed milk sweetener and evaporated milk. So the secret of a great cup of coffee lies in the beans used.








I'm no coffee expert, but I would say their coffee is as good as Old Town's white coffee. 2 cups of this and you'll be high ;)

Now comes the breads..



French Toast With Peanut Butter, sinfully fried in deep oil and a rich peanut butter scoop for a dipping, gorgeous..







Thick Kaya Toast, crispy, light, and delightful layer of butter in between..








Soft Kaya Toast, fluffy and cute in the palms of your hands..








Theres loads more house specialties from Toast Box, including one that has overflowing Milo powder. So go check it out now!

Toast Box 

Pavilion KL

Jalan Bukit Bintang

Kuala Lumpur

Serenity @ Starbucks KLCC

Early morning.. cloudy.. mild drizzle.. cool breeze.. KL..

Rare.. serene.. special..

What were the odds the weather turned out the way it did on a day where I, Pearl, & Bryan decided to hang out at the Starbucks outlet at KLCC while waiting for Sophia to finish her exam paper.





We had the Starbucks' promotional breakfast currently on from 21st to 30th April. It comprises of a sandwich and a complimentary cup of coffee for RM4.50 excluding tax. You can chose from 3 different sandwich fillings :

1) Sausage + Egg + Cheese
2) Tomato + Basil + Cheese
3) Mushroom + Tomato + Cheese











Don't let its modest appearance fool you. I and Bryan had the sausage filling while Pearl had the tomato and basil option. And boy was it worth it. Cuts of sausages with generous amounts of egg and cheese enclosed in a soft and warm bun. Plus it tasted good!



To accompany this simple, tasty, and hearty meal, a relaxed conversation of people, faiths, relationships, marriage, good memories of university life, and the future.

What more can be asked on a calm and serene morning in KL..


Thanks guys.. I'll never forget the good times we had together =)