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TheJessicat - Extractions of a Disoriented Mind
  • Entertainment
    • Film & Movies
    • International Artists
    • Live Concerts & Gigs
    • Local Artists
    • Music Festivals/Rave Parties
    • Nightlife/Parties
  • Food
    • American
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    • My Cookbook
    • Others/Fusion
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    • Body Art
    • Cosplay
    • Fashion Shows
  • Beauty
    • Hair
    • Makeup/Skincare
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Hola! Birthday Dinner Date with Him at Estilo | Spanish Tapas Bar & Charcoal Grill, Publika KL

August 23, 2015 by thejessicat

 

That blessed day of the year has come again!

Wow, looking back… how I spent this last year’s as well as this year’s birthday has been a vast difference from my insane party-hard birthdays of my much younger days.

I guess when we grow up, we tend to want to spend our special day in the comfort of our loved ones and enjoying quality conversations… instead of banging it out hard at the clubs/raves. (Save that for the weekends instead! 😛 )

 

 

This year, I’m lucky enough to spend it with the love of my life again – for the second time!

Last year, he surprised me to our city’s Helipad to enjoy the wondrous sky-high view and the delicious meal at Heli Lounge Bar.

 

Just a little throwback before we start with this year’s birthday celebration.

(Terrible low-light photo quality – forgot to bring my camera!)

 

Moo brought me to enjoy a rather different cuisine for our dinner date this time round.

As we’re so used to the likes of Italian, Arabic, North Indian, American and local food already, we decided to check out what Spanish cuisine has in store for us.


(Do I hear a hola!?) So off we adjourned to Estilo in Publika KL. Big Smile

 

Beautiful, authentic setting.

 

The view from our seat

 

The interior decor was a pretty interesting one – it had wooden arches partitioning different sections of the restaurant, with standard dining tables and seats, with the option of sofa seating (like ours!) and a bar-top area with high chairs. 

There’s also the alfresco area – but we’ll get to that later. Big Boss

 

Handpainted Spanish crockery

 

The waiter who attended to us was anything we’d want a waiter to be: knowledgeable, friendly and polite.

To manage expectations, he explained what the dishes were, its main ingredients and how it will look like – trust me, reading the menu in Spanish proves to be an arduous task!

We appreciated the gesture and placed our orders.

 

His and hers (for sharing): Chocolate Milkshake & Freshly Squeezed Watermelon Juice.

 

Yeah, yeah… kids’ drinks. Don’t chide us! We would’ve gotten wine but it was a weekday and since our weekends are usually full of that, we’d thought we’d play it down a little.

Plus, my guilty pleasure has always been fruit juices and anything chocolate/milk based 😀

 

While waiting for our sumptuous feast to arrive.

 

We were half worried that we wouldn’t be able to finish all the dishes we ordered. We hear they come in huge portions! Surprised

 

Table talks. Let the quality conversations ensue!

We were served fluffy house bread and butter as we await our entrées & main course

 

Berenjenas 

 

This tapas appetizer had aubergine crisps, chickpea mash and mostillo reduction. We loved how crispy and tasty this was. I’m a huge fan of aubergine so I was naturally thrilled!

 

Costillas de Cordero

This dish of whole rack baby lamb ribs was flavourful, and very well-done! Ha Ha

You know how fat lambs usually are, right? But this one was hardly considered fat, in comparison. It was also served with baked potatoes in their skins, homemade french fries and a delicious triple delight of Estilo signature sauces – Mojo Green, Peri Peri & Piquillo.

 

Go taste them for yourself and find out what they are made of!

We couldn’t decide which was our fave as all three complemented the ribs perfectly. Wink

 

We made sure to make space in our stomachs for the main event… *drumroll*

 

It’s finally here! The glorious, glorious Paella Estilo 

 

Strictly for sharing! Unless well, you have an appetite of an entire starving population.

I’ve only eaten Paella once in my life – at a Carlsberg event 2 years ago in La Bodega, Pavilion KL. It was seafood paella and to my best memory, I distinctly remember how delicious and hearty it was.

 

Moo giving it a good mix before we dug in!

 

This one surpassed expectations too. With chicken chorizo, chicken & green beans in rich chicken stock, this giant hotplate was certainly a reason to revel in delight.

Largely filling, bursting with flavour and yummy to every bite, I’m glad moo’s first time with Paella was a good experience!

Don’t forget a selfie with the Paella!

 

 As expected, we weren’t able to finish the entire portion.

We ended up packing the remaining away for brunch the next day. Moo excused himself to wash his hands – at this point, I was thinking to myself, “Wash hands? For? We didn’t even eat with our hands – full on cutlery till the end!”

But as he returned with a smirk on his face, I knew he was up to something. Adore

 

Thanks dearest!!

You never cease to surprise me!

 

Right from the lovely bouquet of pink roses delivered to my office desk this morning to this enjoyable birthday dinner date.

Thank you for the tiramisu birthday cake surprise. Time to make a wish!

 

Here’s to many more birthdays with you.

 

We decided to catch a breather and headed to the alfresco area for some fresh air – also to finish up our drinks and dessert.

So full to the brim! Hit with Ball

 

T’was a lovely end to an awesome dinner date

 

Our view of Estilo, from the alfresco area.

 

For the awesome dinner, surprise bouquet at my office this morning and for making my birthday a memorable one yet again, I owe it to you.

 

 

Thanks a bunch, moo!

Now, just wait and see what I have up my sleeve for your birthday this time round.

 

 

 Also, thumbs up to Estilo for making our night and my birthday one to remember.

Viva la Espana! Big Smile

——————————————————————————

For reservations and more details on this restaurant:

Check out their website at: www.estilo.com.my

LIKE them on Facebook at: fb.com/estilo.my

Call them at their contact number: +603-62039883

Drop by this address: 

Estilo Tapas Bar & Charcoal Grill
No 34, Level G2 Block C5,
Publika Solaris Dutamas,
Jln Dutamas 1,
50480, Kuala Lumpur

Opening hours: Monday – Sunday (11am – 1am)

 

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How dope is this poppy den? Opium KL: Eat Drink Man Woman | Changkat Bukit Bintang

March 6, 2015 by thejessicat

 

Disclaimer: Opium KL does not deal nor supply Opium in any way, shape or form.

You need to get those somewhere else 😉

 

 

Right after its grand opening mid last year, I was invited to the latest establishment along the vibrant Changkat Bukit Bintang, Opium KL.

And no, as mentioned above, it doesn’t supply the illegal substance, contrary to its name.

 

Located at the corner of the bustling street, its brick walls boast a deep, crimson red hue

with framed modern portraiture of young Chinese maidens.

 

First impression: Opium KL’s oriental theme and relaxed al-fresco atmosphere

is a sure pull-factor for all patrons and party-goers of the city (especially Caucasian tourists!)

 

 Eat. Drink. Man. Woman.

Can’t wait to see what this new kid on the block has to offer! Big Smile

 

Walking into Opium KL, I was spellbound by such authentic interior decor, perfectly capturing 17th century China within its four walls.

It was complete with the opium pipes, opium chests and other opium equipments, as well as the ‘lounge-bed’ chairs akin to those of opium dens!

 

 Whoa. No seriously, WHOA. And that’s not even all of it.

Beautiful. Really a work of art in its class! I felt like I was walking into the Forbidden City

or a museum of illegal artifacts.

They offer separate rooms too, for private dining!

 

 I was ushered to my table upon arriving.

 

 Beautifully-dressed waitresses began to serve us our soup & appetizers.

Boy, they really look the part too!

 

Peppery Lamb Soup

 

I loved this! Two of my favorite ingredients were made out of it – pepper and lamb!

Its combination of lamb cubes, carrots, potatos, spices, coriander and fried shallots worked well as a starter, to warm my tummy up for the courses ahead.

Not too peppery nor spicy too.

 

Fern Leaf Salad with Grilled Prawns

The next starter was a unique one. Wild fern leaves were prepared with huge prawns and tossed in ginger, sambal, flower shallots, coconut and lime juice.
It was slightly spicy, but juicy and delicious all the same.

 

Vinegar was given for us to self-sprinkle onto our dish.

 

Crab Cakes

These were such delightful bites! Real crab meat is made into tiny balls and infused with herb & sambal. It was indeed as juicy as it looks, with fillings oozing out of every bite.

 

Chicken or Beef Satay

You really can’t go wrong with satay. Opium KL nailed it perfectly too.

Assembled with the standard fare of peanut sauce-cucumber-onion-rice cake combo, there was however, one VERY note-worthy thing.

Each skewer contained little to no fats! If you’re a fitness junkie like I am, you’d appreciate that fact just as much as I did. 😉

 

Check out how water was served here!

Like the way they traditionally drank rice wine back in ancient China,

it was served in a porcelain bowl too.

 

Took a stroll around the restaurant while waiting  for my drinks and main course to arrive.

 

Yes, I found the lavatory signs very amusing and creative.

 

When I got back to the table, voila! It was filled with Opium KL’s signature house cocktails and twisted classics. Let’s take a closer look at them one-by-one, shall we?

 

5 fragrance mojito

This refreshing concoction comprises rum, lime, mint, 5 spices & soda.

It’s not your average mojito, I’m tellin’ ya. 😉

 

50 years storm

A bit of an acquired taste, this consists of cognac, sweet vermouth, angostura bitters, peychauds bitters & sugar

 

 Shanghailander

For the bold whiskey lovers, enjoy this whiskey, smokey whiskey, honey water, ginger & lemon juice combo!

 

Silk road martini

A simple yet strong pair of Gin or vodka and Noilly Prat – now served with diced caviar too!

 

Teatrader

Turn up the heat with this frothy shake of rum, grand marnier,

lime juice, orange juice & 5 spiced syrup!

 

After the cocktail tasting, I stepped outside to take a breather before the main course.

 

Dusk slowly easing in.

 

With Sascha, the outlet manager of Opium KL!

P/S: To all single ladies out there, he’s newly single now 😉

 

Angus Beef Rendang paired with Lotus Leaf Buns

This Angus beef was tender to taste, simmered to perfection with spices, santan, tumeric leaves and kaffir lime leaves.
Tastey and relatively spicy (but bearable!) the beef rendang was definitely worth coming back for. Laughing

 

                                                     Just sandwich it in the lotus leaf bun and eat it as a whole.

 

Spicy Prawn Noodles

 

This dish reminded me a lot of Penang Hokkien Mee. Click here for more Penang goodness!
It had a similar combination of yellow noodles & rice vermicelli, served with scallops, eggs, prawns, water spinach (kangkung) and beansprouts, all steeped in hearty prawn broth.

This Penang girl definitely approves!

We were full to the brim and adjourned to the al-fresco deck to have desserts and a few more drinks, we saw that the patio was booked out with Opium KL’s dinner crowd.

 

Moo and I just before dessert time.

(At that point, little did we know that we would end up officially together!)

 

Eat. Drink….. Man. Woman!

 

Cheesy Banana Fritters

Talk about a strong banana boost! Boyfie and I loved this heaps – we almost went for seconds but unfortunately we couldn’t stomach any more food. Who can resist fried banana and aged cheddar, topped with banana ice-cream?

Unless you aren’t a banana fan, but that’s besides the point.

 

Last but not least – Melon Ice to wash everything down. 😀

Honeydew melon, sago pearls & coconut milk combo was a great end to a fantastic oriental meal

 

Thank you so much, Sascha and Opium KL for having me tonight – I had a superb feast!

 Click here to check out KLGCC’s new healthy menu or CHIN’s Stylish Chinese Cuisine, here.

——————————————————————————————-

For more info on Opium KL, get in touch with them!

Log on to their official website: www.OpiumKL.com

LIKE them on Facebook: fb.com/opiumkl

Join them on Instagram: instagram.com/opiumkualalumpur

 

For reservations/dine-in:

Call them at this contact number: 03-2142 5670

Drop by at this address: 50 Changkat Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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Flashback: Celebrating Chinese New Year 2013. Hiss hiss. My zodiac year of the snake!

July 11, 2013 by thejessicat
 

 

Today's post is all about the celebration, the culture and the family amidst the Chinese New Year festivity.

Uh-huh. Though I'm fully aware that we've already come to the middle of the year, I'm adamant on posting this despite being half a year late!

 

Because it's MY YEAR. wink

 

Ever since the inception of this blog, it has since became imperative for me to write something about Chinese New Year (CNY), every year without fail. Ergo, I can't and won't let this year go by without a word – especially since it's my own zodiac year!

This is also especially for some of my family members and close family friends who have been waiting for this post and non-local readers who wanted to see how I celebrated my CNY. Sorry I'm late! crying

So bear with me while I (try) to VERY briefly write and characterize my CNY 2013 as succinctly as I can.

 

Mandarin Oranges. 

 

Angpows.

 

Chinese New Year cookies – pity they only come once a year, right? frown

 

MORE CHINESE NEW YEAR SNACKS.

 

GONG XI FA CHAI! First day of Chinese New Year.

 

The Lion Dance troupe performing in the middle of the night just outside my house.

 

The Lion Dance troupe up close

 

Standing by the CNY decorations at the foyer of my home.

 

Ladies helping out and making preparations for our family steamboat dinner!

(while daddy does the prayer stuff and takes a nap LOL)

 

Steamboat dinner with my immediate family.

 

 

The smallest of what a family can comprise is what we have always been. Granted, we are a close-knit one!

Shall we cue the happy family pictures already? heart

 

Mom, dad and I makes the family I'm speaking of heart

 

Hugs galore!

 

The man of the house, Mr. Daddy and his bitches girls.

 

After our family steamboat dinner, we had relatives come over.

 

I went visiting my buddies next day!

 

With Mr. BFF Vincent!

 

Annual CNY gathering with the buddies

 

Boo!

 

Cue the Jagerbombs and CNY gambling!

 

 

After the alcohol kicked in LOL

 

Random selfie while I took a break from gambling with the boys.

 

Mom and I grabbing a quick breakfast the next day

 

Brought out babyChivas

 

Jumped into the car.

 

Roadtrip time! Guess where we are going?

 

Two hours down south, we arrived Ipoh. Look who greeted us happily! wink

 

My dearest popoh giving me my angpows!

Why does she look more excited than I am?

 

Lion Dance troupe invasion!!!

 

Our (very brown) lunch.

Trust me, it tasted ten times better than it looks! cheeky

 

A compulsory photo with the God of Prosperity plushie 

and a bowl of ancient money from China.

 

Hello smiley

 

Three generations: Popoh, mom and I.

The fourth one will have to wait, okay? Uh-huh. No pressure alright. *rolls eyes*

 

En route to the big reunion dinner with the extended family!

 

Headed to one of our favorite Chinese restaurants in town, Restoran Kok Thai!

 

All decorated for a night of family Chinese banquet dinners!

 

Camlovin' with Uncle Mikey.

 

With the (fairy) godmother and popoh

 

This one is a prized photo with the cousin, as it is one of the

rare photos we snap together whilst not drunk/in a club/at a party/at a rave.

 

Mommy dearest and Uncle Mikey

 

I think I must've spread the love for camwhoring to her. Whoooops! 

 

With Auntie Karen and Uncle Philip

 

With the two sisters – granny and grand aunt.

I think this should be a foresight of how I would look 50 years later?

 

And it begins! The Chinese tradition of to lou our yee-sang.

(For my non-Chinese readers, it means to toss this dish about haphazardly as a symbol of prosperity)

I know right, us Chinese are all about being prosperous LOL

 

Just some traditional Chinese dishes in our 8-course dinner:

Braised cerbal chicken with mushrooms

 

Steamed brocolli, scallops and mushrooms

 

Mom, couzie Shaun and I helping ourselves to the dish

 

Pork Trotters with dumplings

 

GIGANTIC steamed prawns!

 

Cue the red wine.

 

Kochabi – a traditional local Chinese dessert (a very frozen ice-cream texture)

which means 'the taste of old times' in literal translation.

 

We entertained ourselves to fireworks and firecrackers at night

 

I had my fair share of fun too!

 

Mom and I flanking kakak heart

 

Cue more alcohol. Yummy.

 

Thanks Uncle Mike, for this lovely photo!

I wish I didn't look so drunk though. indecision

 

Traditional Chinese mah-jong with the family

 

Third day of Chinese New Year. We went avisiting more friends and family!

 

More yee-sang and more homecooked meals. All thanks to granny and kakak, the masterchefs!

 

Time to toss it like a savage and ravage it like the last yee-sang on the phase of earth!

 

Hi again. Off to another reunion dinner

 

Came home bursting at my sides to this handsome furkid of mine on the bed

 

Couldn't help it. You'd be tempted to camwhore with this fluffy ball of love too.

 

After all the festivities with the family and friends back home is all over, it was time to head back to the city. 

Despite having15 days of Chinese New Year, work beckons! I returned to the office on the 5th day of CNY.

 

The lion dance troup invading our office!

 

With the colleagues 

 

At night, we headed off for our company's Chinese New Year dinner!

 

Baked cereal prawns

 

Steamed grouper fish

 

Baked chili crabs!

 

'nuff said.

 

And yes, you guessed it. Yee-sang again.

 

A quick shot before making a giant mess of the yee-sang!

I think I'm pretty good at this already LOL.

 

With my pretty girls, Carmen and Sheena.

 

I think that wraps up my Chinese New Year 2013. cool

Was that brief enough? Hahaha. Better a simple post than completely forgetting to have this up.

 

So what do you really like about CNY?

Just like every year, Chinese New Year consists of five most important F WORDs for me.surprise

Don't jump to conclusions just yet. Why F WORDs, you ask? They are:

 

FAMILY.

 

FRIENDS.

 

FOOD.

 

FLAMING FORMULAS.

 

FORTUNE. 

 

There you have it. You can stop bugging me for Chinese New Year photos now hahaha.

Sorry for the tardiness, though! frown

 

But this FORTUNE a.k.a angbao only applies if you are still single. YIPPEE! laugh

The married ones ain't gettin' nothing! 

 

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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. yes

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 heart

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

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.

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

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? wink

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? wink

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! frown 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! surprise 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!) laugh

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

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. smiley

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

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. indecision

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? laugh

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. heart

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

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 surprise

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. devil

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! yes

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. yes

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! laugh

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! laugh 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. surprise

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! laugh

A LIVE demonstration of duck shredding! devil

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! laugh

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! devil

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! cool

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! yes 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! smileysmiley

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! yes

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! laugh

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 

enlightenedTRIVIAenlightenedThis 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! wink

Sesame Black Bean with Crispy Pudding

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

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. yesVery 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! heart

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! surprise

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! yes

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! cool

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. devil

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? laugh

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. yes

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. yes

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

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

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Beautiful sights at Darling Harbour @ Sydney + playing with rams and sheeps hanging in mid-air!

June 17, 2011 by thejessicat

 

Heyyyooo guys!

I've just finished my exam today and I'm in a particularly good mood.


Only one more to go, ohyeaaaaa *smug grin*

Aight, here's another sequel – the 7th blogisode – for my Sydney trip!

 

Taken along some wharf area 🙂

 

So being a typical tourist, I was seen with enthusiasm plastered on my face and lugging around my camera.

Just as I pointed my shooter to this buggy-wuggy looking train, the driver grinned, waved…

 

and shouted "HEY!!" to me 😀

 

We kept walking and walking; it was nice to feel the cool breeze against my skin.

Best part was, it was evening by the time we got there.

 

Yay! For the sun was just beginning to set 😀 😀

 

The sunset was too pretty to miss!

So I took a moment to sit by the waters and yeah, started shooting away

 

Leaning back : just a random piccie of my Converse

 

As we kept walking, I realized we've finally reached the huge bridge of Darling Harbour!

It's really up high and we took an escalator up.

 

It was an excellent view along the entire bridge – admiring the city skyline

 

With couzzie Bernice atop the bridge!

 

It's a reaaallllyyyyyy long bridge across the sea.

But long walks can really be a pleasant experience, especially if you have a picturesque scenery like this!

 

Stopped to take so many pictures!

 

You can see puddles on the pathway, remember when I told you it was really cloudy leading up to a wet weather in the afternoon whilst I was at the Sydney Opera House?

Yeah. I'm glad the rain cleared up now, making way for the peeking rays of the sun!

 

OMG OMG did you notice the rainbow in the background? 😀 😀

I never spotted it until I saw this photo

 

Various office buildings along the crystal clear waters

 

I had an odd sense of deja vu whilst walking along this route.

It somehow reminded me of a certain spot I walked past in Clarke Quay, Singapore. It looks almost similar!

 

When we were finally done with the breathtaking view, we adjourned for dinner.

But before that, I came across this strange fountain-like thingy and the first thing that came to my mind was that I just HAD to run around the spirals.

 

BUT IMMEDIATELY STOPPED MYSELF FROM DOING SO BECAUSE I SAW A GROUP OF 5 YEAR OLDS

DOING EXACTLY WHAT I WAS JUST ABOUT TO EMBARRASS MYSELF WITH

 

Hmmmmmmm…. at least I'm glad to know that my inner child still reigns.

IT LIVES!

 

Passed by the Chinese Garden of Friendship!

This stone lion/dragon above must be the guardian of its gates

 

… which somehow reminds me of Mulan. The great stone dragon which Mushu broke

 

Speaking of stone animals, something very peculiar caught my eye.

What on earth is this?

 

It was a stone sheep/ewe/ram suspended in mid-air

My, my… you must be having fun defying gravity

 

And I certainly had fun becoming a shepherd for a fair bit

BAAA RAMM YUUU! To your breed, your fleece, your clan be true, sheep be true! BAAA RAMM YUUU!

(quoted from one of my fave award-winning film Babe, the sheep-pig, released in 1995)

 

Omigosh and finally we began to head home.

I had such an amazing time – a full day out from 9 o'clock in the morning until past 8pm!

 

Was about to pass out the moment I got home! Oh but before that, I'd like to remind you to….

 

Sign me up for any sheep-wrestling competition!

… because I know the sheep password 😛 😛

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Hi! Welcome to TheJessicat.com - an urban lifestyle blog established since 2005, written from the perspective of a Malaysian blogger. Discover the latest and all that the city has to offer! Do bear with her occasional rants & musings though. Happy reading! ❤

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