Sunday came a-calling, and what better way to spend the last day of the weekend than to unwind with some delicious bites in the neighbourhood?

Not too long ago, I received an invitation for a food tasting/review session at Nooks by Baker Dave, a cosy restaurant tucked at a delightful corner in Plaza Damas 3, Hartamas.

Naturally, I brought along my better half to experience the afternoon with me.

Arrived at Nooks in less than 10 minutes; locating it wasn’t a problem at all! 

I was half prepared to get lost in the carpark or run into difficulty searching for Nooks.

But the moment I exited the carpark, it was Nook’s right in front of me!

Strategic spot, may I add? 🙂

Love how they used crates as a table and exposed planks for its façade.

The exterior already gave me a warm and inviting feeling. 

 Saw this signage at the door. What a way to be prepared and make us feel welcome! 🙂

The moment you enter, you will definitely not miss a display of cupcakes greeting you at the front door. They’re all so beautifully and creatively decorated! 

Adorable, no?

Baker Dave himself, as the name suggests, is a baker by profession.

He specializes in customized 3D cakes for birthdays, weddings or any special occasions. I am definitely going to order my birthday cake from him this year – you will see why at the end of this post! 😛

The interior by Nooks by Baker Dave was filled with colour, quirkiness and bright hues!

I immediately felt comfortable as I took my seat, as there were many different kinds of seating to fit the varied preferences of their patrons.

 Can’t say how much I LOVE LOVE LOVE their simple, colourful decor  & shelves!

 If I wasn’t conducting a food review of the entire menu,

this comfy armchair will definitely be my spot!

We were first served with a cold glass of Honey Lime Juice.

This reminds me of the ones my family used to make for me back home.

Nostalgia, nostalgia…

Honey Lime Juice

Their homemade drink also includes he use of rock sugar & sliced lime.

Good for sore throats & relieves headaches, that’s for sure!

Next, we were served an appetizer that I recognize, from being served all the canapés whilst at events. It’s not in the menu, mind you!

Maybe Baker Dave was in a good mood that afternoon. 😛

Carrot & Cucumber sticks dipped in honey mustard!

 Served in a wine glass, interesting concept!

My kind of a healthy snack – aka yummy rabbit food LOL

Once we were done with the appetizers and got more or less settled in, Baker Dave made his appearance and welcomed us with a little opening speech. 

Nooks by Baker Dave features a full menu of moderately priced comfort food of breakfast, sandwiches, pasta, rice, and brewed coffee, along with cakes and buns that are baked from scratch.

 Baker Dave thanking us for making our way here and

explained a little about the concept behind the food & pastries they serve.

He also shared that all items are prepared, baked and cooked at the premise itself.

The fusion food here are all inspired by travel and mom’s home-cooked food, with his own very special twist. 

The fact that we were going to review the full menu, made Baker Dave thought of serving us a smaller portion of every meal first, and then flashing out all the meals in its actual size when we were done with it.

I found this to be a fantastic idea, with a foresight that we would be full to the brim and unable to finish our meals, had he give us the full size instead.

 First, we reviewed the Nooks Breakfast.

Nooks Breakfast (actual size)

This had two Eggrolls with Turkey Ham, Cheese, Chicken Sausage + a slice of toasted bread of the day with butter & jam.

All breads and buns are baked in the kitchen and alternated between wholemeal, black sesame, wholemeal flaxseed and multigrain and contain wholesome wholemeal flour without additives and preservatives.

Being a very breakfast person, I enjoyed this simple yet hearty breakfast meal a lot!

Next was also a breakfast meal. Two adorable ‘burger’ buns!

It was the Nooks Duo!

Tuna Mayo & Scrambled Egg on two soft buns with cucumber & tomato

Soft fluffy buns with sesame seeds on top – who could resist? 😀

The stuffing was so tasty – when asked which was my favourite, I couldn’t choose!

We’re done with the breakfast meals!

That’s buddies Jen & Max with the boyfie and I, along with Baker Dave himself.

It’s time for our lunch meals. Prepare your stomachs! 

 This isn’t any ordinary carbonara…

Nooks Spicy Carbonara!

I’m glad the level of spiciness wasn’t too extreme for me. 

This is perfect for anyone who fancies a little extra ‘boomz’ in their meals.

Deliciously rich like Carbonaras should be, this dish has its own spicy cream sauce paired with chicken ham & shitake mushroom, cheese and oh that yummy egg yolk. Sure to perk you up.

If you thought that was unique, our next lunch meal was a rarer find!

Nooks Sesame Vegetarian Chicken Pasta

Vegetarian Chicken, Carrot, Shitake Mushroom, Sweet Pease in Roasted Sesame Sauce

For my vegetarian readers, you’re in luck! 

Nooks also features a vegetarian pasta meal with soy/tofu made to look like chicken slices.

Despite not being vegetarian, I truly enjoyed this dish. The roasted sesame sauce paired perfectly with sliced carrots, shitake mushrooms and sweet peas was so fragrant – definitely giving this meal a good bang for your buck.

 The next meal serves to appease local Malaysian palates.

Nooks Rendang Chicken with Rice

This meals takes the cake, with its freshly prepared homemade spices blended to make the perfect chicken rendang with rice served with sunny side up egg.

It was certainly spicy for me, looks like i have to level up! 😛

Needless to say, it wasn’t spicy for him at all!

Speaking of unique dishes, check this one out.

Ever heard of pumpkin cooked in chicken curry? 

 Nooks Pumpkin Chicken Curry with Hardboiled Eggs & Rice

I’ve never tasted something quite like that before.

Their golden pumpkin was gloriously simmered with homemade Belacan curry and tender chicken breast. One of my faves right here!

Our final meal was a huge burger. 

By then, moo and I were already so satiated with the rest of their mouthwatering bites that we were BOTH unable to finish ONE burger!

 Nooks Signature Burger

Being all for non-processed food, I’m so glad that everything is homemade/prepared in-house!  Even their burger’s chicken patty was!

Drizzled with barbeque sauce, with a slice of cheddar cheese, tomatoes, lettuce and mayo sandwiched with two wholemeal buns, this burger was, safe to say one of the ‘healthier’ versions of burgers. (Fries? What fries?) 😛

Check out the burgers I had a while back in SS15 here if you are interested in more burgers.

Baker Dave had me a cup of flat white too. Yay!

How could I ever say no to my fave cuppa? 

Their cuppa was roasted by Lighthouse coffee roasters, and boasts a medium bodied blend of Central American & African coffees.

Def loving its caramel-like sweetness with a hint of nutty attributes!

 We were ushered to the alfresco area for some mingling and

chit-chatting with Baker Dave and the rest of his guests.

 The team prepared some cute props too! We had fun with that, haha!

Just when we thought that concludes our afternoon soiree, Baker Dave placed two notoriously sinful looking desserts.

My, my… would you take a look at those goodies! 

Left: Ultimate Chocolate | Right: Mango Cheesecake

Triple layers of dark chocolate mousse, chocolate fudge & chocolate cake

Creamy cheese with Belgium mango puree

I cannot express how smitten I am with both these delicacies. They were to die for!

The Ultimate Chocolate consisted of triple layers of dark chocolate mousse, chocolate fudge and chocolate cake. It was so soft and rich, and every bite melted in my mouth.

Now… this was the cake that I was referring to, in the beginning of this review that I wanted for my birthday! 😉

 The Mango Cheesecake was so soft and creamy, with strong hints of its Belgium mango puree. The mango tasted so rich and moderately sweet, almost reminding me of durian!

 Just as our wonderful gastronomic arvo came to an end,

Baker Dave again, surprised us with two gift-wrapped presents!

Inside, were bumblebee cupcakes, a ceramic speaker-mug which amplifies music playing from your phone, and almond biscotties.

Looks like Santa came early, disguised as a baker this year! 😀

 Thank you, Baker Dave, your team of chefs and PR/Events rep buddy Jen,

who made our afternoon a fun one to remember.

We definitely had a ball of a time!

Can’t wait to be back real soon. 🙂

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For more information or book a seat/order a cake by Nooks by Baker Dave:

LIKE them on Facebook: Nooks byBakerDave

FOLLOW them on Instagram: @NooksbyBakerDave

Contact them on the phone: +603-62117686

Drop by their address: Plaza Damas 3, Jalan Sri Hartamas 1, Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

(Opening hours: 8am – 7pm)

Last weekend, the three of us caught up at uppity town Bangsar for some delicious bites and sweet indulgences.

It was mid day by the time we arrived, so it was a dilemma whether to eat a really late lunch or a really early dinner. But we decided to eat to our hearts’ content anyway. After all, meals should always be defined by our stomachs and not by the time on the clock.

Smiles!

Today’s look was very… catwoman LOL

Jessicat wears: Tank in black by Mizz Demeanour | Accessories by Hard Rock Shop |

High-waisted shorts by PDI | Cat bag from a fashion bazaar | Jeffrey Campbell inspired heels by H&M

We were scouring Bangsar for good places to eat, but realized that we’ve tried almost every gastronomic delight the buzzing street had to offer. Tired of walking around in circles, we then then decided to look up HungryGoWhere.com to make a quick search on where to eat, right from the palm of our hand. How convenient!

HungryGoWhere.com is a comprehensive Malaysian Food Guide, Restaurant and Rating site. Go check it out!

Arrived at a restaurant called Nosh. Had a chat with the waiters and soon decided

that’s where we’re gonna be parking our arses for the afternoon.

Can’t wait to nosh on our food!

We took a seat and I excused myself to check out the restaurant interior – as usual.

Bet my buddies are  all pretty used to this disappearing act of mine the moment we step foot into any new restaurant we visit 😛

The facade was enough to draw me closer into the dining area.

Loved its classy, clean-cut concept. Wide spaces were used very well!

It boasted an interior of bright and colourful modern art as well as a neat layout.

On the right was the  drinks bar where drinks and light food takes shape.

The main kitchen is inside, of course.

We skimmed through the menu and placed our orders.

Guess what comes next? 😀 More selfies of us! 🙂

Come to think of it, nothing really has changed in 6 years. Except that we probably have make up

on and are now both working professionals instead of party-hard students.

Oh and, bestieJoyce doesn’t have braces on anymore and I don’t have my long red hair anymore.

That’s about it.

On to the food! May I first warn you that they taste just as delicious as they look in photos? 😀

Nosh did a great job in the food presentation and plating.

Beef Bolognese on Chunky Chips

This was a really tasty beef bolognese topped with melted cheese on a bed of potato chips.

Every bite had a light and hearty, smoky aftertaste. I liked how the chips were cut into wide chunks instead of the skinny versions.

Mushroom Gnocchi Symphony

This Italian dish was really filling! Instead of the usual semolina or wheat versions, this was a fabulous combo of gourmet sweet potato gnocchi served with mushrooms and cream sauce. Every bite was a mouthful!

Pumpkin Ravioli

Also another signature Italian dish, this boasted delicate gourmet pasta sheets filled with pumpkin served with a luscious onion butter sauce and fresh sage. Very used to the usual spinach ravioli, Nosh’s version of mashed pumpkins gave me a fresh alternative and complemented these ravioli very well.

Salmon with  Lemon Capers

Always a fish person, I couldn’t possibly give this salmon treat a miss. Loved it to bits!

A thick piece of salmon fillet grilled to perfection greeted me the moment I laid eyes on my plate. Served in a lemon caper cream sauce, the salmon came with delightful sides of roasted rosemary potatoes and grilled seasonal vegetables.

I could definitely order another one of this and finish it in under 10 minutes.

Dessert time. Which one should I pick?

We are sweet tooths by nature so we were spoilt for choice!

After taking almost half an hour to narrow down and select our mutual favorites, here’s what we got!

We chose the Peanut Butter Heaven and Mont Blanc in the end.

The Peanut Butter Heaven promises heaven to the last bite – and heaven I experienced indeed.

As a diehard fan of both peanut butter and chocolate, this peanut butter cheesecake slice was right up my alley. It was light, not too heavy on the cheese consistency, drizzled with caramel on top and sat on a bed of chocolate crumbles and chopped salted peanuts.

The Mont Blanc was a chocolate cake soaked in rum and resembled a mountain after a snow blizzard of chestnut cream. Dusted with sprinkles of green tea powder, it gave this treat a slight bitter aftertaste to an otherwise sweet dessert.

Loved them both! It was interesting how they plated both the desserts like a platter

on one long rectangular plate instead of serving it in individual plates.

It was a fantastic day catching up and noshing delectable food and desserts.

Where else but NOSH, really? Thanks, NOSH for a delightful evening!

Price range for this restaurants from its lighter, smaller meals at RM9 onwards to the heaviest main event at RM70. However, you can be satisfied with most decently sized meals ranging between RM19 to RM40.

If you’d like to search for more similar places that might suit your fancy, just browse the directory at HungryGoWhere.com 🙂 And yes, you’re welcome.

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[highlight style=”yellow” ]For more information on Nosh or to place your reservations, you can:[/highlight]

Log on to their official website: www.nosh.my

LIKE them on Facebook: fb.com/noshKL

Drop by their outlet at this address:

7, Jalan Telawi 3, Bangsar Baru, 49100, Kuala Lumpur

Business Hours:

Contact them at this number:  +603-2201 3548

To be extremely honest, I’ve never seen/taste/smell/ate Vegemite in my entire life.

Until I came to Australia.

Bardha, Cleefy and I in the kitchen on the night of the challenge

This is how it all began.

One fine day, Konzy and Cleefy decided to ask me a million dollar question.

“Have you tried Vegemite before?”

My answer was an obvious “no”.

However, I’ve heard some pretty horrid stuff about it; that it tasted vile, disgusting and nasty on your tastebuds. Then again, Cleefy insisted I had some, regardless of what I’ve heard.

Allow me to quote him “you haven’t experienced Australia if you leave without Vegemite”.

Looks like a creepy Vegemite ad, no? 😛

He proposed I eat it in front of the camera so that I could always remember the “Australian goodness of Vegemite”. Fair enough. So I decided to take up the challenge of the infamous yucky Vegemite.

Let the camera roll!

One night before we headed out clubbing, Cleefy brought me a jar of Vegemite

& had it wrapped in a cute blue ribbon too! 

I was extremely hesitant after unwrapping it but my mates were pretty persistent.

Fine fine fine. I’ll do it! 

Here’s the short video I made. Enjoy it!

Hahaha. Hope you liked it! So there, my 1st moments with Vegemite, added with laughter, nasty facial contortions and friendship encapsulated in a 6 minute video 🙂

Now, everytime I think of Australia or crave for Vegemite, this video will do the trick!

Ahoy mateys! Arrrr. Vegemite has arrived.

How am I ever gonna forget that?

The next time ANY of you come to Malaysia, I’ll do the exact same thing for yall – not with Vegemite, but with Durians instead. *evil laughter*

Thank you Cleefy bear!

Now that I’ve finished blogging this entire post and editing the VLOG, I’m totally up for some. Only thing that’s stopping me is…. I can’t seem to find my Vegemite.

Who has stolen my jar from me!?  Identify yourself!!

Being here in Australia for the past half a year (well, almost) and considerably one of the only Asians within my bunch of mates had led me to see Asian stereotypes in a much clearer picture.

Try being a "victim" of their racist jokes LOL. But rest assure, my mates mean well, after all we do occasionally throw racist remarks around at each other anyway.

I never really understood Asian stereotypes previously, but now I do – at my expense, of course! -__-"

So I've compiled a list for no good reason. Here's the ones I recall :

1. You can afford to be cute, 'cos you're Asian.

So one evening when I was taking a break from final exam revisions, I decided to procrastinate to do something a little more interesting.

Which somehow, led me to play with my hair and I tied up 2 tiny pigtail buns at the top of my head.

The moment I came out to the lounge room looking like that my mates were gushing about how "cute" I looked tonight and one of them said, "Yeah, she can afford to be cute, she's Asian".

Right. Thanks.

2. You know the exact moment when the rice is cooked, 'cos you're Asian

My mates were trying to cook rice for dinner and couldn't tell whether or not if the rice was cooked or ready to be eaten yet.

"Why don't you as ask Jess? She's Asian; she will know"

Thanks again.

Try putting it in your mouth instead of asking Jess?

3. You must have some herbal remedies/medicines, 'cos you're Asian

One of my mates was having a splitting headache and/or cough-flu-fever if I remember correctly

"Go ask Jess for some herbal remedy for your sore throat, she's Asian, she would know"

Sorry wrong number, no I don't.

Go swallow a bucket of Strepsils kthxbai.

4. You might kill me with your kung-fu, 'cos you're Asian

We were all fooling around one day and were talking about self-defense and martial arts

"Don't piss Jess off, she's Asian and she might kill you with her kung-fu"

I may not know kung-fu, but I jolly well know Imma kick you in

the groins if I hear another Asian stereotype

5. Your eyes must be small and slitty-slanty, 'cos you're Asian.

Long, long time ago when I first arrived all dressed up and fashionably dolled up .. etc, I overheard someone say, "I don't think she's Asian. Asians have black hair… hers is red and her eyes are huge". Firstly, haven't you heard of hair dye?

What a wanker. If I don't look Asian, what do I look like? Dumbfug.

Also, many a time when my mates and I were randomly talking, about racial heritages, languages or countries and such, I usually get a random remark like this, "You know, Jess. Your eyes are pretty huge for an Asian" Right… thanks a lot.

Konzy trying to make me look more Asian than I already am

But but…. I'm NOT your slitty-slanty eyed Asian girl

6. You must be good at Math, 'cos you're Asian

My mates and I were at a restaurant eating dinner and we each wanted to calculate how much we were supposed to pay, per person.

What's $78.95 divided by 6? Don't know… "Ask Jess to count, she should be good at it 'cos she's Asian"

Look, try a calculator next time?

It sure knows the exact amount, but it isn't Asian.

7. You must be a spy from Beijing, 'cos you're Asian.

Yes because I'm out to get White Capitalist scumbags like you.

Watch out, I can see you with my small slit eyes! I will throw chopsticks at you and bury you alive with my MahJong tiles.

All in all, it's funny actually, in the name of a good laugh! Stereotypes are meant to be funny, so laugh at yourselves and think up some White stereotypes to poke back at them the next time you're made fun of

In the meantime, make me a cup of Chinese Tea. Also…

BRING HONOUR TO YOUR FAMILY AND MARRY A RICH TYCOON!

Why? Well, simply because… you're Asian.