Five Foods that Will Make You Look Younger

A magazine that I will try to buy each month is Details, an American lifestyle, fashion and entertainment magazine. I'd like to share the above from the April 2011 issue with all my readers. The five are:

• Sweet Potatoes
• Wild Salmon
• Tomatoes
• Citrus Fruits
• Leafy Greens

In addition to the above, I'd like to add a sixth item. It's not food, just an advice to have less worries in our lives. We can do this by separating inconveniences from problems and wants from needs.

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What I Do on a Saturday Night

I am too old to go clubbing these days. So, when I don't have anything else to do on a Saturday night, I will spend time in a coffee shop. Yes, one belonging to an international coffee chain. They have air-conditioning, wi-fi connection and usually great friendly staff on duty. What more could you ask for.

Besides having something to drink (my usual choice is hot chocolate) and something to bite (a piece of pastry), I usually read books, magazines or newspapers, or surf the internet. The coffee shop is a good place for people watching too.

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Tea at Sabah Tea House

With Mount Kinabalu as the backdrop, a typical afternoon tea is transformed to a beautiful experience at Sabah Tea House. Sabah Tea House is the food and beverage outlet of the Sabah Tea Garden, at the Sabah Tea plantation in Kampung Nalapak, Ranau, Sabah. Read more about Sabah Tea Garden here.

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Butter Prawn Recipe

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients (for four to five people):

1. Prawn - 500 grams - Keep shell intact but slit the back and remove the black thread

2. Cooking Oil - 1/2 cup

3. Egg Yolk - 4 to 5 eggs - Beaten (Hint: you can use the egg white to stir fry vegetables with)

4. Butter - 2 to 3 tablespoons

5. Fresh Curry Leaves - 2 to 3 sprigs - Chopped

6. Bird's Eye Chillies - 5 to 6 pieces - Chopped and if you prefer, deseeded

7. Sugar - 1 tablespoon

8. Salt - to taste (I usually use minimally)


Method:

1. Heat cooking oil

2. Half-fry prawn, remove and dry

3. Remove used cooking oil

3. Heat butter

4. Pour egg yolk slowly from a high position and keep stirring (Hint: This is the hardest part.)

5. Add in curry leaves, chillies, sugar and salt

6. Add in half-fried prawn and mix with the rest of the ingredients

It's that easy. By the way, the prawn is the key to the dish. So the fresher the prawn, the better. And one more thing, don't ask me for any other dishes because my favorite dishes are simple fried fish and stir-fried vegetables, which anyone can cook.

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Butter Prawn

A few of my friends in the office decided to have a potluck gathering over Hari Raya Aidil Fitri. Everyone agreed to bring bring/make/buy something for the gathering. Mine was Butter Prawn, the dry version. I thought it tasted so and so but some of my friends liked it. Here's a photo of it, which was cropped from a friend's photo taken on that day.

Lunch at Nasi Padang Ibu (Again)

This time, I went with a very close friend. I also managed to snap some photos with my PDA. Here are some of the photos:

NPI from the outside (this photo was taken a few days earlier using a digital camera)

Tables by the window - in the background, the Jesselton Point ticket sales counter and waiting area

Tables by the window - in the background, futsal arena and more food outlets

Entrance and Food Counter

Food Before

Food After

One thing you have to remember when eating Nasi Padang to finish everything in the plate, if you've ordered the food using the plates. There are no discounts for unconsumed portions of the food. So, choose wisely. Our orders (*) were:

Food:

• Nasi Puteh (Steamed Rice) - 2 portions - RM1.50 x 2
• Dendeng Basah (Spicy Beef like Jerky) - 2 portions - RM7.00
• Perkedil Kentang (Mashed potatoes with meat and spices) - 2 portions/pieces - RM4.00
• Sayur Nangka Berlemak (Creamy Young Jackfruit) - 2 portions - RM4.00
• Ikan Tenggiri Gulai Kuning (Yellow Gravy Mackerel or Kingfish) - 2 portions - RM8.00

Drinks:

• Air Mineral (Spritzer 600ml) – RM2.00
• Kit Chai Sejuk (Iced Lime/Calamansi Juice with Dried Sour Plum) – RM3.00
  

(*) Except the rice which was in a large plates, each food was served in small plates, which I think can be eaten by two to three persons. Don't forget to add service charge of 10% to the bill.

Total bill for two persons was RM34.

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Lunch at Nasi Padang Ibu, Jesselton Point, Kota Kinabalu

The other day I had lunch at Nasi Padang Ibu (NPI) with some friends from the office. Although I like Indonesian food, I’ve eaten at NPI only three times. Well, I’ve been to Padang myself, so I’ve to say that Nasi Padang in Padang is way better. Then again, Padang is so far away. So, if I crave for Nasi Padang, NPI it is.

Based on my last two visits, NPI is doing good business these days. The first time I went there, it occupied a small area but now it has expanded. To help you price the food at NPI, here’s the price list from my lunch. Do note that the food was served in larger plate with the rice rather than the traditional way, i.e. in small plates. Servings in the small plates are double the price and usually enough for two or three persons.

Food:

• Nasi Putih – RM1.50
• Ayam Panggang – RM4.50
• Ayam Goreng Sambal – RM4.00
• Rendang Daging Lembu / Usus / Paru Basah – RM4.00
• Dendeng Basah – RM3.50
• Sotong Gulai – RM4.50
• Perkedil Kentang / Sayur Nangka Berlemak / Sawi/Buncis Sambal – RM2.00
• Telur Dadar – RM2.00
• Sambal Merah – RM1.00

Drinks:

• Jus Apokat/Avokado – RM6.00 (Yes, that’s the price)
• Air Mineral (Spritzer 600ml) – RM2.00
• Soya Bean (Can) – RM2.50
• Kit Chai Sejuk – RM3.00

Sorry, no pictures of the food to share.

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Surprise Meal

What a pleasant one too. I didn't expect Malaysia Airlines to serve Satay in economy class. But they did. The satay's not quite the signature dish that you'd get in the business class but its still satay nonetheless. I was impressed. You don't get to eat satay that often at 30,000 feet above sea level unless you travel internationally on business or first class with Malaysia Airlines all the time.

Then there was the tidbit. Usually you'd get a packet of crackers and a small piece of chocolate. This time Malaysia outdid itself by giving away Ferrero Rocher chocolates. Airasia eat your heart out.

MH68 economy class inflight meal

The satay up close

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Aladdin 1Borneo

As the name would suggest, Aladdin serves middle-eastern food. Over the weekend, I had the opportunity to sample the food there. The menu is mounted from the ceiling and you choose from there. The menu's not so extensive, containing the basic middle-eastern fares such as shwarmas, kebabs and the like.

Menu, above cooking area and ordering counter.

Having lived in Central Asia for about 4 yours, I've had my share of middle-eastern food. Since I don't particularly like lamb, I chose a chicken dish. My choice was Tavuk Djaj, marinated chicken cutlets grilled on skewers, served with french fries (or if you'd like, rice) and slices of tomato (one), cucumber (two) and onion (many). Together with a can of Sprite, the whole meal cost RM17.50. Certainly pricey. But then what do you expect? There are limited choices for middle-eastern food outlets in Kota Kinabalu. Aladdin's food is authentic though as the owners are middle-easterners. Anyway, I'll eat here again only if my yearning for that kebab or shwarma is too strong.

Staff preparing and cooking food.

Another negative point is that I just can't stand is the ventilation in the small outlet. It's one thing to be able to see your food being prepared and cooked, but it's another thing to smell like your food afterwards, even after leaving the outlet.

Photo of meal.

Photo of meal, afterwards (I was really hungry).

Location: Lower Ground Floor, 1Borneo, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah
Opening hours: Same as Shopping Mall’s

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Thai Food at Pavilion Kuala Lumpur

I love Thai food. There are limited choices for outlets that exclusively offer Thai food in Kota Kinabalu. Anyway, if you are in town, try Tam Nak Thai in Api Api Centre. Let me know if you have trouble in deciding what to order.

Whenever I am in Kuala Lumpur, I try to visit a Thai food outlet or two. Last month, I had the chance to eat at the Thai Express in Pavilion, a shopping complex in Bukit Bintang area. Actually, I’ve tried two other Thai outlets in the shopping complex, i.e. Rama 9 in the food court, the Food Republic and Celadon Royal Thai Cuisine.

For Rama 9, I’d go for single Thai meals like Khao Pad (Fried Rice) or Phad Thai (Fried Noodles), with prices per meal between RM10 to RM15. But then, the cooks are Thai. Try it out. Rama 9 is on the left hand side of the food court from Tang’s direction.

Food in Celadon is excellent although prices were on the expensive side. For example, the clear tom yum soup costs about RM20 per bowl but was worth every single spoonful. Lunch for two was about RM150. I also like the décor of the restaurant, very cozy and inviting.

As for Thai Express, it was pricey too. Lunch for two costs about RM120 but the food’s not as good as Celadon’s. The décor is much simpler too.

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Happy Ramadan

I know I am a few days late but I hope everyone celebrating the month of Ramadan will have a blessed time. One of the best things about this whole month is the Pasar Ramadan or Ramadan Market. At this place, you can get all sorts of food for breaking fast. In some cases, you can even find food, which are typically not available all year round. Anyway, if you are in Kota Kinabalu and its vicinity, there are a few designated Pasar Ramadans.

The one I like, however, is in Kem Lok Kawi, an army camp outside of the city. Having gone to five years of secondary school in West Malaysia, the West Malaysian food offered at the Lokkawi Camp are the closest to the ones I had before. Kem Lok Kawi is a bit far, so I only get to go there on weekends.

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House of Sundanese Food KLCC

I just love Indonesian food. During my last break, I had dinner with my friends at the House of Sundanese Food at Suria KLCC in Kuala Lumpur. Surprisingly, the restaurant is a franchise originating from Singapore. But that doesn’t matter. If the food is good, I could care if it came all the way from Timbuktoo.

The restaurant used to have another outlet also in Kuala Lumpur at Bangsar Shopping Centre (BSC). The outlet in BSC actually had stunning view of the city skyline, particularly if you get a seat by the windows. It was beautiful.

For starters, we had Keropok Melinjo or Emping accompanied by Sambal. It has a slightly bitter aftertaste but delicious. For mains, we had Ikan Nila Goreng (very crunchy with a fabulous cicah), Cumi-Cumi Bakar, Acar Udang (more Acar than Udang really) and Ayam Goreng Sunda, all eaten with steam rice. We wanted sayur lodeh but it was not available. So we settled for something else (which escapes me at the moment). Overall, the food was good and the restaurant had good ambiance.

Location: House Of Sundanese Food, 4.12, Level 4 Suria KLCC, 50250 Jln. Ampang, Kuala Lumpur. Tel: 03-21662272; Fax: 03-21662273
Opening Hours: 11.30am-2.30pm, 6pm-9.30pm

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Beautiful Padang

I went to Padang for work over the weekend. Padang according the taxi driver who took me to the hotel, has a population of 5 million. It is the capital city of Sumatera Barat province in Indonesia. The city is located by the sea (well, actually ocean) and has a mountain range in the surrounding, quite similar to Kota Kinabalu.

I do not want to go into details about what I did during the trip, as it was very much related to work. It was made of waiting at the hotel, sitting in the car, meeting people and going to dinners. There wasn’t much time for my own personal agenda.

By the way, I can’t say enough good things about Padang food. No wonder you can find Nasi Pasi Padang all over Indonesia. It’s fabulous.

All I can say is that I will be more than willing to come back to Padang. In one word, it’s beautiful. From the place to the people.

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Eat in KK

I really don't want to turn my blog into a food heavy blog but as a food lover, I just can't help it. I guess I live to eat, not the other way around.

I'd like to review in detail places I go to eat in KK but it's impossible. I can't differentiate between something succulent and delectable or how to express the texture of the food I eat. It'll probably do no justice to the places I reviewed. Usually, for me, it's good on one end and yucky on the other.

Anyway, what I'll do is list out all the places which I think are okay for everyone. Not the greatest places, just acceptable places, according to me at least. Here goes (in alphabetical order):

• Gayang Seafood, Kampung Gayang. What else? Seafood.
• Grace Point/Garden, Sembulan. All kinds Of food, but stay away from the Nyonya food, its got lousy service.
• Jati Tom Yam, Taman Indah Permai. Tom Yam Malaysian style.
• Kak Nong's, Beverly Hills. Asam Fish Head
• Nasi Padang Ibu, Jesselton Point. Padang food.
• Pete's corner, Asia City. Western food.
• Seri Keningau, Taman Indah Permai. Malaysian food.
• Sri Melaka, Kampung Air. Asam Fish Head & Butter Prawn.
• Sri Melati, Jalan Gaya. Asam Fish Head.
• Taman Selera, Beach No 2, Tanjung Aru. Rojak Buah, Sotong Kangkung & Kitchai Peng
• Tam Nak Thai, Api-api Centre. Tom Yam Plachon & Green Curry.

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Fabulous Penang

Or should I say fabulous Penang food. If you hadn't guess, I went to Penang for my short vacation. My friends and I paid for taxes and charges only, about RM143 each.

We stayed in a hotel on Penang Road and had only two items on the our itinerary, shopping and eating. Actually, it was more eating than shopping. For example, I only bought two pairs of pants for myself and some clothes (t-shirt, etc) for the people back home. Other than that, it was food and more food.

On the inbound flight, there was no heavy food sold onboard, so upon arrival in Penang, the first thing to do was to have some Penang food.

During the trip, we had nasi kandar at various places including Nasi Kandar Sharif Glugor and super soup at Sup Hameed nearby the hotel. We also had teochew chendol and char kuew tiao at Prangin Mall and chendol pulut at Chowrasta Bazaar. We also had buffet lunch at the hotel, which featured Penang delicacies such as pasembur, rojak, prawn mee as well as various other dishes. Our hotel room didn't include, so we had more excuse to eat out. Breakfast was usually nasi lemak, thosai, roti canai or fried noodles.

In general, Penang food is fabulous. I'll be back for more. Now, if only I had eaten that extra plate of laksa or even nasi kandar before the flight home. You see, heavy food was sold out again.

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Food and I

I like all kinds of food. It doesn't matter where really. It could be a posh restaurant or just a stall under a tree. As long as the food is good, I'm a happy person.

In the past when I lived in other countries, I even had to learn to cook. It was more of a necessity. In the places I've lived, if you wanted to eat Malaysian food, you had to cook it yourself.

I've forgotten the more complicated recipes but I can probably still dish out Nasi Lemak and a simple curry. Since the original ingredients were not available, we just improvised with the best thing. For example, its milk for santan (coconut milk) and a few small chunks of ginger for pandanus leaves.

Come to think of it, cooking's actually not that hard. First, get the recipe which I usually do by asking around or looking up a recipe book. Then, try it. If you cook something often enough, you'll probably remember the recipe. That's where the problem lies, I hardly cook in Malaysia. So, don't start inviting yourself to my place to have me cook. I'll probably suggest the next best restaurant or tree for that.

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Food blog not

Someone remarked that my blog is becoming a food review blog especially with the last few posts. Well, I don't think there's a need for another one of this or this. Three's a crowd, they say.

Seriously, I didn't have any intention to write a lot about food. But then again, it's one of the things I enjoy. So, it's only fair that I write about it. By the way, what I write is based on my own taste and I hereby solemnly declare that I didn't receive any inducement to feature any of the food establishments written in my blog.

If you tried the places I mentioned and liked it, good for you. Maybe we'll bump into each other there in the future. On the other, if you tried and didn't like it, please don't sue me. Worst still, if you tried, didn't like it and got diarrhoea, please sue the owner(s) of the establishment.

With that out the way, I will continue writing about food I had. But if you need more advice on food, you'll need to read the sites linked in the first paragraph. They are superb materials there and good food there. Bon appetite.

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Seri 3 Rasa Seafood

It's one of the evening foodstalls in Kompleks Karamunsing. Its located outside the shopping complex on street level, behind the foodcourt and McDonald's.

I am usually here for one thing only. Butter Prawn with steamed or fried rice. From my observation, it's the only foodstall that stays in operations for sometime. Others have come and gone.

I've never asked but I think it's family run, that's why it stays where it is for quite sometime. There's probably no problem with cook running away. Waiting time for your order to arrive could be a problem especially during busy times, around 6.30 to 8 PM. The foodstalls are popular with shop and office workers in the complex. Meanwhile, there would only be two or three persons in the very small kitchen.

I usually don't order food other than my favorite, Butter Prawn. Yes, even the person running the place knows I'll order this dish. However, I've eaten with friends who ordered other dishes and liked them (their food). Their other customers also seemed to enjoy their orders. Maybe the next time I go there, I'll order something. Then again, maybe not.

Here's a photo of the butter prawn I'm talking about.

Location: Kompleks Karamunsing Evening Foodstall. Middle stall.

Opening Hours: 5PM-9/10PM

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Breakfast binge

Yesterday, Sunday, was a free day for me. Finally. I didn't have much plan so I decided to go down to the weekly Gaya Street Fair in downtown Kota Kinabalu.

It was early and I was hungry, so I decided to have breakfast here.

This was breakfast no. 1 and it was their nasi lemak and iced Milo.

After walking around and getting what I wanted at the weekly fair, it was time for the next stop for breakfast no. 2 here.

I had two toasts with butter and kaya, with iced Milo again. I like the Ice Kacang or Ais Batu Campur too. Satay (available evenings) is also good.

Then, I went off to do one last thing for the morning. I walked around in one of the older shophouses in town and when I couldn't find a suitable shop (maybe because it's Sunday and it's early), I decided to stop by for a drink here.

My stomach got the better of me and I ordered soto to go with my kalamansi juice with dried plum. The menu here is mind boggling. I'll probably need two months to try everything.

Don't worry, after all the eating I didn't have to run to the bathroom very frequently.

Kentucky Fried Chicken

Location: Block A, Segama
Opening hours: 24 hours

Fortune Coffee Shop

Location: Jalan Pantai

Opening hours: early morning - 6/7PM

Restoran Seri Rahmat

Location: Block A, Segama

Opening hours: early morning - 9/10PM

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Restoran Taufik

During the day especially around lunchtime, you'll be lucky to get seated immediately as it's usually packed with customers. Even at night during dinnertime, it can be quite full as well.

The word is Restoran Taufik serves the best soto in town. There's a branch, Restoran Taufik 2, in the city centre but the real thing is the one in Inanam. It's a bit out of the way but worth a visit. Despite the name though, it's more like a local coffee shop.

Prices are reasonable. For example, a meal for two and drinks will probably cost around RM10 or less. Service is ok, but at peak time, you'll have to attract the attention of the waiters/waitresses. If you are after soto or rojak, you should get your food in no time. Cleanliness is not something to write home about but it's definitely not dirty or rat infested like some other places. Anyway, the food is worth it. Besides, you can always order takeaway.

Other than the usual, you can also order nasi campur or economy rice (rice with two or three side dishes) or fried noodles or rice. But I don't see the point. It's the place for soto. You don't go KFC for burgers right?

Location: Block E, Inanam New Township Phase II (in the same block with RHB Bank, but on the other end). It’s nearby the Inanam post office and Milimewa Supermarket.
Opening hours: early morning till 10/11pm.

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