Food – Page 4 – TheJessicat

Blu Med Ristorante e Bar Mediterranean + Italian Restaurant @ The Boulevard, Mid Valley City

May 23, 2013 by thejessicat

Early this year, when construction sounds could still be heard coming from the insides and floor-to-ceiling boards still shielded the entrance, I received an invitation for a food tasting session; to sample a menu during an exclusive media preview of a brand new restaurant.

The restaurant was Blu Med Ristoranre e Bar, a new Mediterranean and Italian Restaurant.

Brought my other half along with me – I could use a

Mediterraneanite to assist me in reviewing Mediterranean food!

Since the restaurant was not even open, we had to enter the premises via a side/corner entrance which led us to a staircase directly up to the 2nd floor.

The boards blocked all public access to the restaurant.

Standing by the 'OPENING SOON' boards at the entrance!

In the invitation, I was told that the menu at Blu Med was produced and consulted by Chef Yasuhiro Sasajima, of Iron Chef fame. Having watched the Iron Chef program on television , I was naturally excited that I will be savouring a menu directed by the talented chef himself!

Chef Sasajima broke out of the realms of traditional Japanese cuisine and started his love affair with Italian cuisine, marrying the two together to cook up a fine fusion of meals from his kitchen.

Chef Yasuhiro Sasajima

Jia anda tidak kenal nama 'Chef Sasajima', dia merupakan antara salah satu daripada tukang-tukang masak yang paling terkenal di dunia!

I was looking forward to tasting his unique and distinctive Italian cuisine with a Japanese twist so much.

Upon arriving at the 2nd floor, I was greeted to interior decorations befitting a minimalistic concept.

It was brightly lit with incandescent spotlights, boasted cosy wooden and brick-wall ambiance, spacious and splashed with warm, earthly colours comprising shades of brown, white with a touch of blue.

Part of the upper dining area deck (2nd floor)

I exchanged a few words with the friendly managers present.

After being ushered to our seats, we sat at our table in anticipation for what the evening had to offer.

The waiters began to pour some wine for us.

We were served the Luis Felipe Edwards Cabernet Sauvignon

I have always been a white wine kind of girl.

While my buddies had red wine, I opted for white wine instead:

Luis Felipe Edwards Sauvignon Blanc was my pick

Us at the table before our meals arrived

The Executive Director of Blu Med explaining the concept of the restaurant and the food

The first dish on our table was the appetitzer of Buffalo Mozzarella and Plum Tomato "Caprese".

The buffalo mozzarella, which is typically used in Italian dishes and less rubbery than usual mozzarella, was moist and had a mild piquancy – slightly tasteless, but well paired with the mint sauce drizzled around the dish (which doubles as good presentation too!).

Buffalo Mozzarella and Plum Tomato "Caprese"

For purists, this is made out of curd cheese using pure buffalo milk.

The locally sourced tomatoes and lettuce sprinkled with olive oil, basil oil and vinegar upped its initially bland flavour and hit the concept of freshness in mediterranean food right on the bull's eye.

The second dish that was placed before us was the Carpaccio of Hirame with Wild Rice and Soft Aubergine.

The first thing I did was to look for the aubergine. I couldn't see it at all! Did they give my plate a miss? I soon found out that the soft, "mashed" aubergine was hidden underneath the Hirame. That was my favorite of the night.

Carpaccio of Hirame with Wild Rice and Soft Aubergine

The wild rice reminded me of risotto, but slightly grainer and nutty in comparison. When mixed with the relatively moist and "grassy" taste of the alfafa sprouts, it amassed a rather odd but not unpleasant flavour – definitely an acquired taste.

The Hirame, a popular type of white flesh fish used in Japanese cuisines (see how the fusion of Italian and Japanese influences is depicted now?) was fresh and served cold, just like sashimi.

Then came along our mains.

The third dish to arrive was Spaghetti Tomato Sauce with Sea Bass and Grilled Vegetables.

We were told that the pasta sauce was made from real tomatoes, and not the ones out of cans nor puree versions.

A block of Parmesan cheese was grated to our desired amount, as toppings for the pasta

The cheese added a light but sharp flavour to the pasta, making it a very good choice for garnishing.

We could clearly see how its sauce wasn't the ones right out of the can.

I found this dish slightly watered down and tasteless, but then again, it was justifiable, as they only used fresh ingredients and we all know how fresh tomatoes holds a high water content. Good or bad? I'll leave you to decide.

Spaghetti Tomato Sauce with Sea Bass and Grilled Vegetables

It also had minimal seasoning; giving way to the natural flavours of tomato, sea bass and its side of grilled vegetables. This dish was fresh, light and had a oceanic and "fishy' flavour to it.

This dish was pretty standard, nothing to shout about especially to people who are more familiar with, or prefer their pasta with strong, heavy flavours. It does has its strengths and weaknesses, whatever suits your palate!

Being sweet tooths, Shin Yee and I were only looking forward to the desserts after that.

Hopefully, our moods and appetites would take a positive turn once it arrives.

Selfshots of us!

And finally, our desserts arrived!

The final dish that we got to taste was the Espresso Pannacotta.

But being a culinary aficionado myself, I do understand that the most difficult part of making the perfect Panna cotta is mixing the right ratio and achieving the right texture – soft, but firm enough to hold it together, with a gentle wobble only when moved.

Espresso Panna cotta

Though pretty in presentation, I must say that the texture of the Panna cotta was slightly dissapointing as it was too jelly-like, stiff and rubbery. I much prefer my Panna cotta to be the usual, softly set, creamier ones with silkier pudding-like consistency.

Apart from that, I loved the rich taste of this typical Italian dessert – especially this one as it is infused with Espresso!

It gave me a smooth mouthful, albeit not a melt-in-the-mouth texture. Still tasted delicious, though. The berries and almonds were a great touch too.

After dinner, the other half and I decided to roam about the second floor to explore beyond our dining table.

I loved how the upper deck overlooks the first floor (ground floor) dining area. Suh-weeeet!

Apabila berdiri pada tingkat atas, rasanye seperti si puteri melihat ke aras bawah pada himpunan para warganegaranye, tahu? Hahaha.

The other end of the dining area

The cutlery, wine and glass counter beside the entrance of the second floor

One of the two private rooms for private functions/dinners

Took more swigs of the exquisite Savignon Blanc

Can't ever get enough of white wine. Ever!

My favorite glass of white wine and I

How can anyone not love the setting and the ambiance of this restaurant?

Here are some after-dinner photos with some of the rest who were there as well.

As I headed to Mid Valley Megamall to attend an event a few days ago, I spotted the elaborately furnished and fully finished Blu Med Restaurant from a distance!

Needless to say, I made my way there to admire the completed version of the premises.

Remember the entrance? I had to enter the outlet via a tiny opening at the corner.

Now, the grand entrance looks like this. Holy mama! WOW.

As mentioned earlier, Blu Med is divided into two separate levels.

The restaurant features a trendy cool and modern environment with touches of comfort on the lower floor and luxury on the upper floor – where we dined.

Patrons entering the restaurant will be greeted by an imposing floor to ceiling wall of candles separating the bar and the restaurant area, and a very high verticle garden cascading from the wall (beside the staircase) completed with two large chandeliers made of glass bottles, specially designed for Blu Med.

Remember these unfinished chandeliers wrapped up in black plastic?

Now it has transformed into dazzling glass bottles hung from the ceiling!

Blu Med, nestled amidst the bustling centre of The Boulevard in Mid Valley City, Blu Med clearly presents a perfect and modern-classy destination for both casual and fine dining diners around town.

As this restaurant is located in a prime setting right smack in between two popular malls – Mid Valley Megamall and The Gardens, I find it a very convenient place to pop by to have lunch, dinners or at any time of the day.

This restaurant's last orders are at 10.30pm (and opens till midnight) so you know where to go for some bites or drinks when the mall has shut

Remember these boards covering the entire corner alfresco section?

Now. Boy, I'd love to sit there for some food and wine while enjoying the breeze!

As dissatisfied as I was, something tells me that tonight definitely cannot represent one's dining experience at Blu Med.

I'm certain that this glamorous, posh restaurant with such a brilliant concept cannot be as inadequate as what I had experienced during tonight's media preview session. After all, this lovely restaurant was far from ready, and I can only assume as much for the unfully-equipped kitchen and the simplified menu we had tonight as well.

One thing's for sure, I'll be back very soon to give this restaurant another chance.

Perhaps for a date, maybe?

————————————————————-

For more information or to place your reservations, you can:

Call them at: +603-2201-5081

Visit their restaurant at:
BluMed (located beside the giant fountain!)
Unit 27-G Ground Flr & Unit 27-1 First Flr,
Signature Office,
The Boulevard, Mid Valley City ,
Lingkaran Syed Putra, 59200 Kuala Lumpur

LIKE them on Facebook at: fb.com/BluMedRistorantiBar

A dining experience at CHIN’S Stylish Chinese Cuisine, QEII Penang

April 27, 2013 by thejessicat

Whenever it comes to recommendations, I often get asked by my dearest readers, friends and family the golden question of them all –

“Jess, what’s the best place to have a fancy, classy dinner ah?”

To be honest, the list I can come up with, would be an endless one. (Malaysia is awesome like that!)

But if you narrow it down to Asian cuisines in Penang, only ONE will always remain on the top of my list.

It’s none other than CHIN’S Stylish Chinese Cuisine

Without even taking into consideration the top-notch selection of food this restaurant has to offer, the location is in itself, an amazing feature of CHIN’S dining experience.

Why? Take a look for yourself.

The entire restaurant is located right above the sea!

Wouldn’t you just love to pamper yourself or your loved ones with a seafront dining?

I know I would

So where is this impressive-looking restaurant situated exactly, you ask?

Just next door to QE II – 360 Waterfront Venue, Penang.

Locals would’ve heard of QEII Penang, but if it doesn’t ring a bell, they are both located in Weld Quay.

CHIN’S Stylish Chinese Cuisine is nestled deep inside Penang’s popular seafront tavern.

Before I begin, let me share a little bit of trivia to those who thirst for its background story.

CHIN’S first opened in London back in 1987 by a Malaysian entrepreneur, Mr. Dave Chin. This classy Asian eatery took England’s Food & Beverage scene by storm, winning two highly coveted and prestigious awards – ‘Best Restaurant of The Year’ by What’s On in London Magazine and ‘The Best Chinese Restaurant in UK’ by Stores Magazine, USA.

On this blazing trail of collective accolades, CHIN’S Restaurant was recognized as “Best of the Best” by Good life Magazine, UK.

More than two decades later, the year 2010 marks the arrival of CHIN’S to

our lovely Pearl of the Orient – Penang, Malaysia.

Aren’t we lucky?

Upon setting foot into CHIN’S, the first thing that greets its patrons is a large and rather unique, psychedelic framed modern art mounted onto the indigo wall. This is something you don’t see very often – especially in Chinese restaurants!

Then again, CHIN’S never fails to surprise, does it?

Themodern art depicting artistric portraiture of iconic figures placed behind traditional Chinese furniture

of solid wood and gold trimmings make a delightful and cosy patio for guests to sit before or after meals

How many of these legends can you recognize?

Call me unworldly but I only recognize seven! What about you?

Walking past the patio, I entered the main dining venue of CHIN’S.

I was taken aback at how elaborately stunning the interior was! It was not only extremely classy, but it came with a modern twist as well. Apart from being well-lit with chandeliers, various forms of contemporary art hung from the walls and ceilings.

This restaurant’s is almost always fully-booked – no surprise here!

(Make sure you place your reservations to avoid being disappointed!)

I fancied the long sofa right smack in the middle of the dining area!

It was very comfortable, came with giant cushions and boasted black velvet textile-motifs on its upholstery.

Thanks to CHIN’S, I was fortunate enough to be reserved a table directly adjacent to the sea and night sky, despite it being in full capacity. They seem to know my fondness towards picturesque views while dining.

Even the spotlights were specially adjusted for me (to take nice photos)! How thoughtful.

I was fascinated with the plate in front of me. They gave me a Che Guevara plate tonight.

If you didn’t know, the latter was a popular Marxist revolutionary icon.

I began to realize that every table had intricate settings – which included a hand-painted ceramic plate each too.

Paying attention to the fine artwork by hand-painted artisans, I could decipher that each artwork had an emotion within and a story to tell. Below is a compilation of some of my favorites!

Geez! I cannot believe how much I am gushing over crockery.

But really, have you ever seen something quite like these in an Asian restaurant? No? Precisely.

Decor and interior aside, I know you are dying to know how good the food at CHIN’S are.

They knew I didn’t exactly fancy anything too sweet and especially nothing too spicy, so they hand-picked a menu that would suit my taste best.

I am usually not a picky eater, but who doesn’t like having their preferences catered to?

A sneak peak at some of my favorites from the ten-course menu we are about to see!

They made me feel so welcome with their simple, thoughtful gestures and friendly demanour, and I could see how every customer in the restaurant was attentively paid attention to.

This makes CHIN’S stand out even more, with their impeccable customer service.

ON TO THE FOOD!

Fairy Blossom tea (comes with free refills!)

This delightful herbal tea was served piping hot, was smoky and had a light floral aftertaste to it.

You gotta admit – it looks pretty too! This is a perfect alternative to some of the more commercial types of teabags/teapots/tea leaves that we see in repetition everywhere.

Four Seasons Appetizer

This platter was served with four mini dishes.

From L-R: Gele Mountain Chicken, Citrus Winter Melon, Prawn on Toast and Spinach with Pinenut & Mustard.

Gele Mountain Chicken

This came in chicken chunks with peanuts.

The chicken was tender, flavourful and presented in an (edible) miniature crispy basket.

Citrus Winter Melon

As I wasn’t a fan of winter melons, I was rather hesistant. But to my surprise, I loved it

The winter melon came in tiny cubes and each mouthful was burst of citrus wonder.

This dish is served cold and it tastes just like sweet tangerines!

Prawn on Toast

This crispy toasted pastry is laden with sesame seeds and shredded prawn meat.

It is also a tad spicy from the prawn paste and XO Sauce. I loved its smoked, burnt after-taste!

Spinach with Pinenut & Mustard.

I liked how the spinach leaves were presented so adorably.

It was neatly stacked up in a tiny pile with the pinenuts!

This dish was slightly sourish and spicy to open one’s appetite for the next meal; serving the purpose of an appetizer altogether.

Garlic Cucumber

Sure, go ahead. Judge. This dish doesn’t look appetizing at all, does it? My thoughts exactly.

But the moment I took a bite of one of the Japanese cucumber slices, I was so wrong. It was very crunchy and that slight tinge of spiciness married with the aroma of the garlic gave it the extra kick I didn’t expect!

What it lacked in the aesthetically pleasing department, it surely made up with its power-packed flavour!

Golden Needle Mushroom

This was one of my strong favorites. Deep-fried to crispy goodness, these little ones were irresistable to ever stop digging in for more. I liked how it was tassled with thinly sliced onions and spring onions too.

Comfort food, I must say The kind that you wish would come was bottomless (much like Nachos!) with your beer.

I was also treated to one my favourite types of wine, the white wine. Sauvignon Blanc, to be exact.

It came just in time when I was in the middle of enjoying the meals.

This is the Whitehaven Marlborough – imported from New Zealand

Althought great as an aperitif, wine, to me, is always perfect pair with exquisite line-ups of food

Szechuan Flame Codfish Soup

This dish made a grand entrance towards my table.

THIS. BOWL. IS. ON. FIRE!! It was was accompanied with flaming charcoals encircling the bowl.

The soup was hot and had a spicy as well as a slight sourish tang to it. Inside, lay tiny bits of winter melon, chilli slices, pickled chilli and of course, codfish fillets.

I liked how this instantaneously warms up my tummy and cleared my nasals with its hearty, warm piquancy.

The next thing that was brought out by the waiter was not food,

but a trapezoid saucer containing warm water to wash our hands with.

In motion!

Gotta make sure my hands are clean for the next dish, as it required direct contact with my fingers.

The waiter placed four small saucers of what looked to me like

condiments and add-ons for a much bigger main dish coming my way.

I was right! The waiter brought a whole duck leg (which I could smell its aroma from afar!)

and a steaming basket of thin Chinese pancakes

Aromatic Crispy Duck

One look at the entire set-up made me wonder how I was supposed to eat it.

Of course, if you were in the comfort of your own home with no one watching, you would just grab the entire duck leg by the bone and chew off the meat ala Bam Bam from The Flintstones, yes?

But CHIN’S thought two steps ahead for its customers.

The waiter was back and began shredding the entire duck leg in full frontal view!

A LIVE demonstration of duck shredding!

Seeing as it was my first time eating one of their signature dish, Mr. Sam Chin, owner of CHIN’S Stylish Chinese Cuisine, took over and personally showed me how to eat and appreciate this dish properly.

Of course, there is no right and wrong, but I would rather learn a thing or two from this restauranteur, especially the most ideal way of eating this!

He showed and guided me a step-by-step method on which order of ingredients to place first.

Thanks, Sam!

Now, I am going to impart this knowledge to you, so you will look like a pro and eat like a pro even when you dine at CHIN’S for the first time! Shhh… surprise them and don’t say you learnt it from me!

1. Take the crepe skin from the steaming basket and place it on your plate

2. Spread it with a genourous amount of duck sauce.

3. Stack a few cucumber slices neatly in the middle of the crepe skin

4. Place a few strands of spring onion slices next to it.

5. Add a few chopped green chillies (I skipped this step because I really cannot handle my chillies well!)

6. Pick up the shredded duck and place them on top of everything. Put as much as your heart’s content!

Ta-daaa! You’re done. And there you have it…

The finished, opened product (unwrapped)

The right way is to roll/fold the light thin crepe/tortilla-like skin wrap around the ingredients and eat it together

The taste was mind-blowing! The flavour of the crisp, yet tender shredded duck slices was bold and the accompaniment of the duck sauce, cucumber and spring onion complemented this dish so well.

Okay, enough seriousness for a second.

Here’s Sam and I smiling for the camera!

Red Lantern Chinese Cabbage

Just like the Garlic Cucumber, this was also a very simple looking dish that exceeded my expectations.

These slices of cabbage were cooked until soft, warm and had this unique twang of sweet and spicyness, as this dish was cooked with chilies and whole garlic cloves. This is arguably one of my favorite dishes here!

Sam placing the next dish on my table

I have always been of the opinion that great leaders should always lead by example and get on par with their ground staff. Despite being the owner and bigboss of CHIN’s, I’ve noticed how Sam always plays an equal part in the running and the operational day-to-day ongoings in the restaurant!

He even personally serves food occasionally and spends time engaging in conversations with the guests.

That’s not something you see a boss do everyday, right?

Thanks for the wonderful and warm hospitality, Sam!

Double Flavored Freshwater Fish

There’s an obvious reason why this dish was given its name.

It comes in two very contrasting parts of flavour and garnishing. Take a closer look at the picture below:

Left : Hot & Spicy side | Right : Pickled and Garlic side

TRIVIAThis recipe originated from the Hunan province!

This dish was comes in the variant of a very popular freshwater fish, the Patin Fish or also known as the Iridescent Shark Catfish.

Despite having two very opposing tastes, both flavours jive together very well with my palate. The juicy fish broth taste was distinct in both sides of the fish, and this dish is usually best eaten along with steamed rice.

The two flavours were very strong contenders in being my favorite, but if I had to choose between them, I liked the left one best!

Beef Tenderloin in Mustard and Garlic

I’ve always had an eye for aesthetics so I’ve gotta say, this one takes the cake for the most beautiful food presentation, hands down!

This medium well chunky beef cubes were mighty succulent, bursting with flavour and tender-soft, unlike plenty of beef I’ve eaten elsewhere where you’d bothersomely chew and chew to no end but just refuses to disintegrate. -___-“

If you’re wondering what that long line of orange-coloured bits are, it doesn’t only serve as decor but it doubles as a garlip dip!

Just take a chunk of beef and dip in the line of fried garlic before putting it

into your mouth for that extra crunch and flavour!

Sesame Black Bean with Crispy Pudding

We have finally come to the desserts. Sweet tooths, rejoice!

I would say that this savory dessert is most apt for those who dislike anythin too sweet. The pudding, although deep fried, was not oily but crispy on the outside and soft on the inside; flowing with custard the moment you sink your teeth into it. Very carefully made, CHIN’S!

The sesame black bean ice-cream is also self-made by them, mind you. It had a vanilla base but a recognizable sesame after-taste.

Maltose Toffee Apple Banana Fruits

As if one dessert wasn’t already enough, CHIN’S pampered me with one more epic, gravity-defying dessert!

This dessert had to be eaten with extra care, for each fruit is coated with extremely hot toffee at boiling point. You would be writing a deathwish if you put one directly into your mouth immediately after this dish arrives!

Which, is why CHIN’S practices caution and had a waitress conduct the very interesting cool-down method for me.

Another LIVE demonstration right before my eyes

She was carefully picking up each toffee fruit and dipping in ice water

for a few seconds before putting it back onto my plate

This dessert is leaning towards the sweeter side but hey, after the scrumptious feast, I could go for something sweet to wrap up my evening.

Once you get past the hard, crunchy toffee bite, your tastebuds are treated to a warm, fruity taste of apple or banana (depending which one you ate!) An excellent alternative to how you would usually eat fruits!

BuddyMinny and I chilling by the patio

That being said, dinner was officially over and done with.

I was won over entirely and did not find a single flaw in their marvellous cuisine. Such high-quality, premium selection of authentic Chinese dishes deserves to be savoured by all!

After a more-than-satisfiying dinner, I had to get up and take a stroll around the restaurant.

Knowing me, I couldn’t resist taking pictures!

The bar area

Behind the bar area

The whole dining area was proudly lined with display cabinets of all their accolades and awards

I also sneaked upstairs during my brief exploration. Teehee.

The verdict? I was charmed. It was jaw-droppingly lavish and extensive!

I can totally see myself throwing a big birthday celebration here. Or an engagement party.

Or a wedding banquet dinner. Or even a Hen’s Night/Bachelorette party.

Hmmm.. did I just give you a good idea?

As you can probably tell by this lengthy blog post and comprehensive review,

I had a marvellous experience at CHIN’S Stylish Chinese Cuisine.

It certainly lived up to its name.

The restaurant was captivating as it was traditionally Chinese in its fare of authentic SzeChuan, Hunan, Mongolian and Northern Beijing cuisines but it is certainly not your typical Asian restaurant, as it is splashed with aspects of modernism with several, varied influences from around the world!

For such brilliant decadence and sophisticated dining experience complemented with first-class service, supreme hospitality and immaculately classy ambience, CHIN’S Stylish Chinese Cuisine is no doubt, a class above the rest.

Trust me on this, I only recommend the best. *winks*

If you want some Chinese Cuisine in the heart of KL, check out Reminisce Cafe in Mid Valley Megamall right here!

—————

For more information or to place your reservations:

Contact number: +604-261 2611 (Opening hours 6.30PM – 11PM daily)

Address: Tanjung City Marina, Church St. Pier, 8A, Pengkalan Weld, Georgetown, Penang.

If you get lost, here are the GPS coordinates: N05°24’56.7″ E100°20’36.7″

OR you can log on to SOHO Group Penang‘s official website or look them up on their Facebook page

Dining in the Dark KL – the first in Malaysia! Werner’s TEN on Changkat

March 10, 2013 by thejessicat

Imagine eating your favorite choices of food in the dark, or just with your eyes closed. Easy, you say.

Now, imagine yourself NOT KNOWING what food has been served to you… while eating it in the dark.

You can't see your fork & spoon. You have no idea where your drinks are.

You smell something delicious, but can't quite discern what the food on your plate is.

Is it soup? Could the main course be chicken? Pasta, maybe?

This might be ice-cream. Or is this a potato? Wait, was that pastry I just ate?

Not so easy anymore, is it? Yeah, I thought so .

On the exterior, it looks just like any other restaurant but the interior comes with a twist – blanketed in total darkness.

At the entrance of Werner's TEN on Changkat.

Just before entering the premises

I brought Konzy along with me as my date for the evening

Upon stepping foot into the dining area, I was required to deposit my gadgets and basically anything that lights up, into a safety deposit box.

I felt so odd being away from my iPhone as this means I am unable to post live updates to Twitter, Instagram and Facebook nor take any photos! Yeah, the social media fanatic in me cries in vain.

But I relented, as having any light in my possession will defeat the purpose of this dining in the dark concept.

This was what I saw the entire time. Not even joking.

As I walked in, I was led by a visually impaired guide who had me put my hand on his shoulder (ala human train).

I knew exactly what 'the blind leading the blind' felt like at that very point.

Pretty unnecessary to even dress up, come to think of it.

But this was what I wore that night.

Jessicat wears: Tube top in Black by MNG | Denim jacket – a gift from mom! |

Chained leaf necklace by Nichi | Supernova tote bag in Raspberry Sorbet by Burberry |

High-waisted leopard-print skirt by Cotton On | Peep-toe platform booties in Grey

I could also just come draped in nothing but a towels with face-mask on and cucumber slices on my eyes.

Since, after all, nobody can see me in the dark. It's almost like a blind date – only very literally!

So my guide successfully led me to my seat – don't ask me how he did it. I wanna know just as much LOL

I sat down and all I could feel was the rounded edges of my table and my cushioned chair.

A waiter came and I could hear him pouring me a drink that I assumed was water.

Cautiously, I ran my hands all over the table for that glass of water in question, lest I knock it over by accident.

As though having my careful movements well figured out, the waiter personally passed me that glass by hand.

The surprise menu fit for fine dining was thoughtfully designed and carefully prepared so that it was bite-sized with no knives required (lest we cut ourselves!).

The four course meal didn't only consist of four meals.

Each course came with at least three to four varying types/flavours that gave my palate a wonderful experience and my mind an exciting challenge trying to recognize what I'm eating!

It was so fun trying to identify and debate what was on our plates together based entirely ONLY on the smell, the taste and the texture of the food.

Definitely no awkward silence during dinner – a plus point!

I experienced a heightened sensation, powered by my tastebuds alone.

Wow, now that's a first!

I wish I had photos of the food to show you, like all my other food/restaurant reviews.

But alas, no gadgets were allowed inside! Besides, I wouldn't want to SHOW YOU what you won't be able to see, right? Definitely not going to spoil the enlightening experience for you.

The optic nerve is overridden, giving way to your other senses to take over.

Every sound, every movement, every taste, every breath is an adventure!

After dinner, I left the dining area feeling more than satiated.

The food was delicious! Apart from the whole new adventure I've just experienced first-hand, the food came in an excellent variety and the portion was just right.

A restaurant in total darkness. A completely new sensory experience. Go on.. try it! I dare you to.

DINING in the DARK KL, the very first of such restaurant in Malaysia.

I'm done! Hung out after dinner with Sascha and Clementine.

Definitely a place worthy of a second visit, or a third. Thumbs up!

Location . Address :

Dining In The Dark KL

44A-46A, Changkat Bukit Bintang,

50200 Kuala Lumpur.

Contact . Phone number:

+603-2110 0431 or +6012-251 5797 (call for reservations)

You can also look up Dining in the Dark KL on:

Their official Facebook page and Twitter page.

Have fun! And don't bump your head while you're at it

That fateful night I was blindfolded… and got my belly stuffed with Pizza Hut’s Cheesy 7 pizza!

October 10, 2012 by thejessicat

Have you ever been put under duress to only use four out of your five basic human senses while eating?

I have… last Tuesday, albeit not at gunpoint LOL. My dinner experience will never be the same again!

My plus one for the dinner function

We're both absolute cheese lovers and was more than up for this!

Thanks to Pizza Hut Malaysia for inviting me to the Sneak Preview Media Launch of their Cheesy 7 pizza

Cheesy 7 pizza? Sounds familiar, you say?

Yup, that's because it is.

The all-time favorite Cheesy 7 is coming right back at us… on our plates and into our stomachs! YAY!

((STYLESHOT OF THE DAY))

Jessicat wears: Off-shoulder top in teal by G2000 Blu | Skinny Jeans in Dark Blue by GUESS |

Metal Owl neckpiece from a local bazaar | Superman Shield Belt by DC |

Raspberry Sorbet Tote Bag in Red by Burberry | Suede Peep-toe wedges in Dark Grey by Vincci |

So I dolled up, brought my appetite & empty stomach with me and I made my way to…

Pizza Hut @ Kota Damansara

Entering!

Looking around made me soon realize that I haven't stepped into Pizza Hut for quite a while.

Today's entry will be quite a nostalgic one. The interior of the Pizza Hut outlet brought me fond memories of all the Pizza Huts I've dined in when I was growing up

OLD PHOTO IN PIZZA HUT @ BAYAN BARU PENANG | CIRCA 2006

My gang of homies and I would often infuse our dishes with copious amounts of cheese. (As above)

Even that is an understatement! We'd pour the entire cheese-shaker into our pizzas, soup & all the side-dishes and giggled to ourselves when the Pizza Hut waitress jawdropped in disbelief when she brought another FULL cheese-shaker to our table.

Heh. heh. heh. The joys of being obnoxious teenagers.

Now we don't have to do it anymore because I heard Pizza Hut's Cheesy 7 is making its comeback!

Ready for another blast from the past?

Yeah, you can also derive pleasure in laughing at old photos of the young Jessicat.

OLD PHOTO IN PIZZA HUT @ GURNEY DRIVE PENANG | CIRCA 2007!

(Haha I was chubby & goodness gracious, the hair! I must be emo)

After college lessons, my classmates and I used to head to the nearest Pizza Hut for lunch!

We spoke of silly things, did ridiculous stuff with our pizza & crafted pretty ingenious ways of eating it LOL

OLD PHOTO IN PIZZA HUT @ KINTA CITY IPOH | CIRCA 2008!

My family and I often patronize Pizza Hut for both occasions and non-occasions Family dinner/reunions with thefockers always keeps all our stomachs happy!

Granny loves the cheese Uncle Mike loves the crust, Mom & I love the topping, Aunty Queenie loves the salad, Goddy loves the side-dishes (especially the buffalo wings) & the couzzies just munch down everything! So.. where else but Pizza Hut?

OLD PHOTO IN PIZZA HUT @ MAJU JUNCTION MALL | CIRCA 2009!

Pizza Hut loved me enough to invite me to a food review of their new Crunchy Cheesy Bites back in 2009

Blogpost – here

As you can see throughout the years, Pizza Hut saw me growing up.

They loved me. But I loved them more

A little mouse dropped this into my mailbox last week

And today…….

NOT OLD… BUT NEW PHOTO IN PIZZA HUT @ KOTA DAMANSARA | OCTOBER 2012!

We were given a welcoming speech by April Yim before everything began.

She gave us a breakdown of the agenda for the evening

She then announced a Twitter contest!

The person who gets the most RTs of "Dear @PizzaHutMsia , bring back the #cheesy7 pizza!" will win!

So all of us spammed our timeline coaxing our dear friends at Pizza Hut Malaysia to bring back what we love

Haha! Just a small part of our whole night efforts of convincing

LOL boyfieKon snapped a photo of me tweeting all night

Mr. Yusof Ishak, Marketing Manager of Pizza Hut, also gave a few words and expressed his warm welcome and gratitude to us who came for tonight's Cheesy 7 Sneak Preview Red Carpet Media Launch party

Pleasure's all ours, actually!

We were told that we were going to be sampling four new types/toppings of Pizza Hut's Cheesy 7.

I was all fine & dandy until… I found out that we were going to be blindfolded. Wha–WHAAADDDD???

BUT BUT BUT I need my eyes to appreciate how yummy the pizza looks like!

What am I going to see with now?

I soon found that it was precisely their point. You don't need your eyes to taste food, yo.

With one sense down, I was able to solely focus my sense of smell & taste on the flavours of the pizza

Evelyn helped me take photos of me while I helped her take photos of her.

Any better ideas? Heck, we were blindfolded & happened to be sitting in front of each other!

Before our pizza arrived, I stole a few self shots & peeked at what was going on around me.

They might've stripped me away of my sense of sight, but I still have very powerful sense of smell & sense of taste!

Okay now I risk sounding like a hunting bloodhound

CAN'T SEE? NO PROBLEM. Let my tastebuds be the judge

Generation X & Y these days can never seem to get off their gadgets – even to eat in peace.

Being blindfolded would mean we were not able to tweet, take photos, share nor do anything except EAT and appreciate our food. It was a terrific move, I must say!

The first pizza!

Muahahahha since I wasn't able to see how it looks like, YOU WON'T TOO

As I sank my teeth into the first slice, it had me at the first bite.

The first pizza tasted amazing and was very cheesy (duh)! I reckon it had chicken chunks, chicken meatloaf & chicken sausages in it… also tasted some onions (and capsicums I think?), a yummy tomato base and needless to say bursting with 7 amazing cheese flavours.

Here's an unglamorous photo of me ravaging my favorite one outta the four pizzas…

of which I THINK could be the Chicken Supreme?

As the second pizza came, the Pizza Hut staff helped us to our plates and passed us our pizzas directly into our hands as we obviously couldn't see where the pizza was placed.

We didn't even know where the plates were if we didn't feel it in front of us!

The second pizza!

The second pizza had a completely different taste to the first one altogether. This one, apart from also being very cheesy, was juicier and the seafood smell was a giveaway I could taste the Thousand Island sauce in it. I then bit into what tasted like tuna and crabmeat slices!

I speculate this to be the Island Supreme?

The third pizza! *sniff sniff*

I didn't fancy this one too much – perhaps I was almost getting full?

This one had very meaty, beefy taste to it & I somehow found it a tad overwhelming for me. But I don't exactly fancy beef too much so you can't take my word for it. This would undeniably be a meat lovers' dream though

It was served piping hot! Had to blow on it first, lest I burn my lips!

I could taste (and you can see LOL) chunks of beef, ground beef & beef pepperoni that rised above the strong taste of cheese

I reckon it COULD be the Super Supreme or the Pepperoni Delight?

The fourth (and last!) Pizza!

This, to my best experience throughout all the years of pizza-eating, is undeniably Hawaiian Supreme!

I could definitely distinguish the chicken meatloaf & zesty pineapple chunks I liked this one too

***

After I finished all four different Cheesy 7 pizzas, I was full to the brim but decided against unbuckling my belt or unbuttoning my jeans.

We were individually asked to share what we thought of the four pizzas to the rest at the table.

Thanks for the photo, Evelyn!

With my favorite being the first and the second pizza, I recounted my (blindfolded) experience while eating them & put my opinions forward.

The first pizza wins hands down! I can't wait to eat it again when Cheesy 7 finally decides to return to Pizza Hut

As we speak, it returns TOMORROW!!

Realizing that I can't be glued to my chair forever, I just had to walk off my extremely full stomach.

So here are some photos of my buddies and I during our Pizza Hut moments

So many happy faces! Clearly, we all enjoyed our Cheesy 7 experience.

Just when we thought that was all, *poof* appeared Pizza Hut's signature side-dishes on our table!

Favorites Platter

A delightful platter of all-time favourites. A combo of Toasted Chicken & Cheese Rolls, Criss-cut fries

and New Orleans Drumettes that's lip smacking tasty complete with carrots and cucumber sticks with Cool Lime Dip.

The rolls are awesome, no joke right there!

Spaghetti Aglio Olio

Succulent prawns and roasted Shitake mushrooms tossed with red capsicums, fried garlic and roasted onions.

Garnished wish fresh parsley and chilli flakes.

I'm always a fan of Aglio Olio pasta so yes, I approve of this!

Meatballs Bolognaise Spaghetti

Meatballs, minced meat and roasted onions simmered in tomato sauce and sprinkled with Parmesan cheese.

BoyfieKon sure liked this one!

Oooooooooohhhh.. what's that, Yusof?

Tempura Prawn Garlic Rice

Aromatic garlic rice served with roasted onions, fried garlic, chicken loaf, crabsticks, silced mushrooms,

diced red capsicums and tempura king prawns.

The tempura prawns were gone within a split of a second. What? Don't look at me! *whistles*

Hehe thank youuuuuu Pizza Hut for feeding us so well & making sure our tummies are happy

My Tuesday dinner has never been better. Good times, good food & good company!

EAT. LAUGH. SHARE. That was certainly what we all did – because that's what we're good at!

One thing made me a notch happier that night.

Remember the Twitter contest I mentioned at the start of this blogpost?

I was one of the winners! Now I have free Pizza Hut vouchers aplenty!

Which means, more cheesy pizza for boyfieKon and I!

So much to go around… can't wait to give my family a Pizza Hut treat too

We returned home stuffed and happy… and cheesed!

In the meantime…

BRING BACK THE CHEESY 7 NOW!! NOW NOW NOW I IMPLORE YOU!

Thank you Pizza Hut Malaysia for an amazing time!

Till next time! You'll see me and my loved ones at your outlets again very soon

Enter the Kyoto Lab… be prepared for a twist in your scrumptious Japanese dining experience at The Pool KL, Ampang!

September 25, 2012 by thejessicat

Did you know that there was a cosy and very quaint Japanese restaurant – Kyoto Lab – nestled directly above the buzzing hotspot called The Pool KL? Bet you didn't.

Cos I didn't too!

Me with their original design of a Japanese maiden

(There's an interesting story behind this artwork…ask when you dine there!)

It was very nice of them to extend a dinner invitation to me to sample some of their dishes.

Being the absolute Japanese cuisine fan I am, how could I say no?

As the name suggests, this hip & happening nightlife hotspot organizes awesome pool parties too!

So I decided to pop by The Pool KL in Ampang last week

There was an elevator which took me directly to the upper floor of the restaurant.

Upon entering the premise, I was impressed by the simple yet creative and unique interior already

Should you take the staircase, this will be the first thing you see ! 🙂

The dining area & the counter

As I took my seat, I noticed something peculiar right above me.

See the ceiling lamps? There were so many of them & actually tins containing wine, biscuits, soy sauce & oil before

The owner of the restaurant then shared how most of their interior and furniture pieces are actually reused items. How ingenious! I felt as though I was talking to Robinson Crusoe before he even finished his story

The table base and legs were also the metal carriers previously used in the construction industry too.

See the lovely fuchsia pink & vermilion decor behind me?

Those are real bamboo sticks chopped up, dried, painted & lacquered up beautifully!

After checking out Kyoto Lab's highly innovative and resourceful interior decor, I was ready to be wowed by what they have to serve already.

I began to develop pretty high expectations! Surely the food ought to be as good as the outlet looks

Let's find out, shall we?

I was given the cocktail menu to select my drinks & was spoilt for choice.

There were three pages of creative & never-seen-before cocktails! Ever heard of The Fish Bowl, Spicy Mango Madness, Skittles Bomb (as opposed to Jager Bombs), Pink Elephant, Milo Ais cocktail.. and especially Chemistry Lab Experiment?

Nothing beckons me better than chocolate does So I opted for the Nutella Martini (RM25)

The pleasantly sweet chocolate-hazelnut flavour complemented the vodka in the martini excellently!

It wasn't garnished with the usual olives, but with Koko Krunch instead

It had me at the first sip

The next cocktail I had was the best-selling Watermelon Slush (RM40)

It was served in a heart shape carved in a giant watermelon half. How lovely!

Perfect for couple sharing

I loved its distinct slushy & chunky watermelon & lychee taste, with a good hint of vodka & midori.

Tasted very refreshing & sweet! Something most girls would most likely fancy.

Cute presentation too! Major hearts (literally) for this cocktail!

The final cocktail that I am going to write about (because at this point, you must be thinking – where's the food? So I'll let you discover the other cocktails yourself!) is a cocktail named Coco's Nutz (RM28) .

I swear I can't be the only one who found that name particularly amusing. Teehee.

Looks like it's fresh off a tropical island, no?

I enjoyed its milky, creamy texture with a good blend of Malibu, Rum & fresh coconut juice. So rich!

Heck, it's no wonder it bagged the Winning Cocktail in 2011's JTI Horeca Bartending Contest

Rebecca & I getting a mouthful of the intricately made cocktails!

Okay, on to the food! I wonder if the cocktails were served to alter the receptivity of my tastebuds?

I'm joking; of course it didn't! I actually had the cocktails sparingly in between meals, not all in one go!

Chefs hard at work preparing our meals in Kyoto Lab's open concept kitchen

One of my favorite entrees was the Salmon Potato Salad with Truffle Oil (RM18)

I love salmon. I love Potato Salad. I love lettuce. When combined, I trust it will be absolutely divine.

A simple entree but it sure as ever was a delicious kick-start!

Prawns, Avocado & Crab Meat Timbale (RM12)

This is an entree of amazing flavours that I would most definitely vouch for!

The three main ingredients fused together so well, almost a melt-in-your-mouth combo

Another light bite I had was Sashimi Nouyeou Salmon Trout (RM25)

Sashimi lovers will be in for something really different!

Far from the traditional, plain, raw sashimi, this splendid take on sashimi

boasts a zestful but not-too-overpowering sweet & sour flavour with each bite

Next up and hot off the griller, was Kyoto Lab's skewered grilled meat.

Let's take a look at some of them!

Chicken/Beef Yakitori (RM8)

I have always fancied skewered meat doused in teriyaki sauce and this certainly did not disappoint.

Both the chicken and the beef were very tender and bursting with teriyaki goodness)

Gyuniku Asparamaki (RM10).

This was arguably my favorite dish of the evening

Being a pro-health junkie, I took so much pleasure in relishing this skewered asparagus wrapped in grilled beef strips served with Teriyaki sauce & sesame seeds. I ABSOLUTELY MUST have it again!

Scallop Misoyaki (RM15)

The soft & melt-in-your-mouth scallops marinated sweet & salty miso sauce will never be enough!

One bite gets you hooked – not even joking

Is it epic mealtime yet? The following dish was pretty damn marvellous to me.

The Green Monster Lamb Burger with Mint Sauce (RM28)

I love lamb! Served with potato wedges & onion rings, the Green Monster's lamb patties packed a punch!

It was so juicy and the taste of well-done lamb with mint sauce ruled my tastebuds. Thumbs up

The following "burger" blew me away & made me appreciate steak a little more! (I was never a fan, tbh)

Portobello Mushroom sandwiched between two thick slabs of medium steak with grilled Zucchini

Australian Grain-Fed Chilled Tenderloin (RM60)

I have never seen something quite like that before.

Perhaps the closest would be KFC's Double Down but it pales in comparison!

A cross-section of the meal

You have no idea how I ravaged the poor thing.

I devoured the portobello mushroom (heh, I love my vegetables more than my meat), but each time I sank my teeth into it I made sure I had a bite of the thick, succulent tenderloin as well

Now, what about dishes from the fryer? I immediately pointed to another one of my personal favorite.

Soft Shell Crab (RM25)

Despite the creative experimenting, Kyoto Lab did a great job in their basic Japanese dishes too.

It was crispy enough on the outside, but soft and juicy on the inside – just like how a perfect soft shell crab dish should be!

We squeezed a lemon that accompanied the crabs for that extra citrus boom

Curry Flavoured Wings (RM18)

For the peeps who never fail to have fried chicken wings or chicken drummets, you can opt for this.

It was served with a helping of salad & a slice of lemon too. I didn't eat this one but boyfieKon said it was as it is – not too spicy!

Now, what's Japanese cuisine without its sushi and maki rolls, hey?

But the first one I'm going to talk about comes with a slight twist as well

Tuna & Mango Roll (RM20)

This maki could be an acquired taste, if you aren't too keen on mango. But I am, and this is pretty swell!

The interesting (but slightly odd!) combination is really something you should definitely explore!

Green Dragon (RM24)

You can never go wrong with a dragon roll!

The prawn, avocado & Japanese mayonaise rolled into a tight rice-wrapped seaweed is a must-eat!

Cheesy Fire Roll (RM24)

Sushi with cheese is pretty new to me, although it's something I've tasted before.

This version however, was delicious with its combination of crab meat, roe, Japanese cucumber, cheeeeeeese and wasabi!

You just gotta dig in!

On to the dessert!

I was full to the brim so I didn't help myself with any. BoyfieKon ordered this for himself –

Sakae Wine Poached Pear & Green Tea Ice-Cream (RM15)

He mentioned to me that the pear had a bitter-sweet after taste to it

And that wraps up the wide array of choices of my dinner. You should totally put your explorer hats on and check out this Japanese "secret laboratory" for yourself tucked away like a hideout upstairs Ampang's The Pool KL.

I had a brilliant time there experimenting & tasting new stuff that tantalized

my tastebuds however strange it initially felt

Thank you Kyoto Lab for an evening with a nouveau twist to the traditional Japanese fare I've known all my life!

More details at The Pool KL's Facebook page & The Pool KL's official website

You know what to do now, if you're up for taking your tastebuds on a fascinating adventure!

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Blu Med Ristorante e Bar Mediterranean + Italian Restaurant @ The Boulevard, Mid Valley City

A dining experience at CHIN’S Stylish Chinese Cuisine, QEII Penang

Dining in the Dark KL – the first in Malaysia! Werner’s TEN on Changkat

That fateful night I was blindfolded… and got my belly stuffed with Pizza Hut’s Cheesy 7 pizza!

Enter the Kyoto Lab… be prepared for a twist in your scrumptious Japanese dining experience at The Pool KL, Ampang!

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