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TheJessicat - Extractions of a Disoriented Mind
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Oh yay! I’ve got a HD for my fiction writing class! Care to take a read?

May 16, 2011 by thejessicat

 

 

So I've been working for hours on end on my never-ending assignments and pulling all-nighters.

Yup, pretty much stressed but still surviving! As of now, I still have 2 more major assignments to complete.

 

Just another lovely, chilly evening at rez

(You might see the rays of the sun, but it's below 10°C now)

 

When night falls, there's even frost on the grass and mist coming outta your mouth when you talk

How I miss Malaysian weather already

 

 

Anyway, what made my day today was when my lecturer returned our assignments.

I wasn't expecting much, seeing that he keeps emphasizing that my work isn't good enough. But when I saw a High Distinction (HD) written with red ink on my cover sheet, I was elated beyond words.

 

Just thought I'd share (go make yourself a cuppa hot chocolate before reading this) ;):

 

 

            The sun began to set on the horizon; casting enigmatic shadows upon the sidewalks of faded, uneven gravel. The trails of this languid settlement led to an uncertain foray into nothingness; winding, and descending. The air was gray and opalescent; a solitary ray of light swiftly outlined the skyscrapers; then another light; and a hundred more glimmered into vision with each flash of the passing headlights.

 

          As time elapsed, the faint shades of sunset, encompassing vermilion and sanguine hues made way for a dark canvas of thick, iron studded skylights. The man in the moon must be in a joyous mood, for tonight’s iridescence was more golden than harvest moons; and brightly aglow, akin to the winter moon.

 

          Seventy acres of this town were dotted with old, dilapidated huts where hundreds of plebeians call home. A large forsaken warehouse barricaded by fencing stood erect to the left; and to the right, an abandoned playground scattered with equipment – what was once synonymous with colour, now engulfed by immense corrosion. In the corner, lived an increasing horde of rodents that prowled trash-cans and scraps from a poultry slaughter-house. Not too far away, lay a half-obliterated carcass beyond recognition, of what used to be a small creature, reeking of a stench so foul, with maggots thriving on its fetid, disintegrated flesh.

 

          Watching great drops of an unexpected heavy shower of rain splatter down, pooling into dark stains on the sidewalk; little homeless children scurried from the harsh tirades of the weather and huddled closely beneath tattered, worn-out awnings of the abattoir. Though it stank with the most revolting odour, it was their only means of refuge from the merciless downpour.  A sudden gush of wind soon enveloped the town with an icy-coldness that permeates the depths of the soul; quivering the very marrow of the bone in unison. Such unwelcome November rain had perversely stolen the days last hour and pawned it with a vibe of fear and desolation.

 

          In the near distance, the silhouette of a feminine figure could be made out to be trudging along those rough terrains; drenched by torrents of the heavy rain. Of why she was barefoot and forlorn, was unbeknownst to anyone who jostled past her. A loud creak broke the deafening silence of this bleak, stormy night when iron doors of a nearby Hollywood film set flung open abruptly. The subsequent heavy roaring of a rising crowd and the interlaced clatter of many voices swamped the scene. She stood insignificantly, like a fly on the wall, watching silently as the throng passed.

 

          Ladies in evening gowns could be seen wearing their long locks in loose, delicate waves, crowded along with shrieks of strident laughter; two to an umbrella, where most of them had their arms around pallid, immaculate men, decked in pressed suits. They ambled past, accompanied by chauffeurs into sleek limousines, followed by a squad of bodyguards swaggering past, boasting due savoir faire expected of them as sentinels of the elite. Even so, blinding lights of cameras still flash by as paparazzi tailed the crème de la crème of Tinseltown until the very second they zoomed out of sight. When all the merriment of the rich and famous began to subside, the town was once again, left in a depressing state of obscurity.

 

          Deserted, sordid… and ghastly.

 

          There were dubious activities around the corner, illicit motherhood in the attic three blocks away, and felons menacing every nook and cranny. Nightmares of perspiration between the clammy walls took to an overpowering force upon the building. Those concrete walls, made of red bricks plastered haphazardly in cement, echoed with silence. Amongst the grime and undergrowth breeding in the corners, a stolen thought arose. A fragmented, discontinuous thought which scrambled around in that darkened corner, running in search of other thoughts, hungry for a connection.

 

 "Help," says the thought in its faint, mellifluous tone; a disembodied voice so light it barely resonates.

 "Help…we aim for justice, it shall prevail".  

 

          I look more closely at the thought, at the silver glittering off its skin at it weaves in and out of the dim glow of the swaying, cracked bulb hanging loosely from the wall lamps. It is shaped like a prism – a tiny insignificant thing, yet unspeakably glorious in the magnitude of its beauty. It beckons me; drawing me closer into an unfathomable intimacy.

 

          A squalid phantasmagoria flashed by abruptly and shattered my train of thought. It soon disappeared into the mist as my futile attempts to squint vigorously in hopes of regaining my vision were in vain. It is not uncommon for the folks of this sinister town to conjure apparitions every now and then; like a Freudian dream left unearthed. For the history behind this place lays a morbid incident which took place several years ago; unspoken of and by no means allowed to leave one’s lips.

 

          There is much to say about this town, but very few dare to utter a word.

 

******

 

So, that's the end! 😀 Alright, my dinner is almost ready to be eaten now. Had been cooking all afternoon!

On the menu today : Cheese Baked Pumpkin Rice with Salmon, Cherry Tomatoes and Asparagus 🙂 There's also spring onions,  golden corn, brussel sprouts, carrots on the casserole sprinkled with lots of basil, coriander and mixed herbs too.

I know I still owe you guys plenty of blogposts of my daily cooking voyages, but then again I've too many pending posts to actually keep track anymore 🙁 I don't think I'll ever run out of things to blog about, only running out of time!

Have a good evening ahead while I enslave myself to those merciless assignments!

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My new-found Sushi haunt! Introducing to you, Hokano Japanese Restaurant @ Uptown Damansara, PJ!

January 26, 2011 by thejessicat

 

This just in!

So glad I found a total gem in Damansara 😀
 

Being a Japanese food freak with perennial love for all things sushi, yakimono, soba, maki, teppanyaki, unagi and the like, I was overjoyed when all I wanted and loved could be found in Hokano.
 

Before I entered. This is the storefront! 🙂
 

 

Menu placed outside so you can ogle over their epicurean Japanese dishes even before you enter

I sure did
 

 

Are we ready?
 

Tucked along the row of shophouses, this cosy restaurant might be small in size but packed with people.

It's time to put these Japanese bites to test

 

It's Hokano crunchtime!

 


 

I brought along my posse of foodies too. First things first, we were all served with warm ocha (Japanese for Green Tea) just before Restaurant Co-Owner Mrs. Ho came to our table to give her recommendations of their house specialties!

 

The place was patronized by young and old alike
 

 

We gathered at 7.30pm but I spotted lotsa people still streaming in by the waves even way past dinnertime.

Although it was almost full-house, our meals came pretty damn quickly. Thumbs up for efficiency!

 

First dish of the night served. Our appetizers!

Japanese potato salad

The plus point here is that this dish is home-made!

Once upon a time during a cookout back in my younger days (not that I'm old now) I was taught to make Japanese potato salad.

 

Obviously not as good as the one I just tasted here! 🙂
 

The 2nd appetizer which was served was the Spicy Ika

It's a stir-fried spicy squid chopped into thick and soft-chewy rings. Delicious Oh and for your kind information, this succulent baby isn't available on the menu (yet?) but it's certainly a must-order!
 

And you heard it first right here from me 😀

 

Next up, another appetizer we had was Smoked Salmon Salad
 

 

This fish lover approves! 🙂 Their salmon was fresh and tender with each bite complemented with chilled lettuce, avocados, onions and cherry tomatoes. A healthy option, that's for sure!

And that's not the best part of it yet….

 

For the special sauce that comes with it is also a homemade house specialty

 

I don't know what its made of (I suppose it's a best-kept trade secret hehe!) it had this sweet yet tangy citrus taste to it. We drizzled it all over our salad and into our mouths it disappeared! 😛
 

Another fabulous appetizer I do recommend is the Kaki Fry!
 

I did not know what it was initially by the looks of it. Figuring it was some kind of breadcrumbed potato, I took a bite and no.. I was so so wrong! 😀 It was warm and bursting with flavour from the inside.

Lo and behold, for it was actually huge, juicy oysters!
 

 

Do you guys want me to go past the appetizers and dive straight into the Mains already? 😀

Hold your horses! Here's the final appetizer – Soft Shell Crab Schimi Age!

 

Soft Shell Crab is granny's fave btw – and also mine!

She'll never fail to order that at any Japanese food joints thefockers and I go to. This one is one that I will certainly bring her to on her next visit downtown.
 

Alright alright. Appetizers are officially done with.

On to the Main Dishes!

 

Served with a bowl of rice and Miso soup, this is the Chicken Teriyaki set!
 

As I'm very fond of teriyaki, this one I just tasted right here does not disappoint at all 🙂

It sure lived up to its standards!

 

Another chicken dish worthy of highlight was Chicken Katsu, also served with rice and Miso soup
 

 

I don't usually order set meals when I patronize restaurants (always prefer the a-la-carte for some inexplicable reason) but this one, might just be an exception I loved this bowl of delightful goodness!

 

Whoops I didn't realize there was rice sticking at the sides.

Must be from passing the bowl around to everyone to try! 😛
 

Chicken Katsu? I'll definitely come back for you. It's awesome, you bet

 

Tempura Soba came next in line

Eat it with the tempura, it goes really well together!
 

 

Oooh looks like another fish dish arrived on our table. Jump for joy!

Aiyah, I don't need to repeat as most of you will know by now that I'm a fish adherent anytime anywhere!

My fellow foodies Ken and Tocky enjoyed the Salmon Teriyaki just as much as I did too 🙂

It was warm and tasty.. not to mention also healthy in some ways!
 

 

The next 2 dishes that plopped on our table were somewhat similar but it's the sauce, condiments and style of cooking that makes it a world of a difference 🙂 It's called the Rib Eye Steak and Moromiso Steak respectively.

Take a look –

 


 

Can't say which one tastes better because all 6 of us debated and it was an equal vote.

MeiYee, Lionel and Ken were pro-Rib Eye Steak while Tocky, Sidney and I were pro-Moromiso Steak! 🙂

Looks like its up to you to decide when you taste it for yourself!
 

 

Rib Eye Steak 3 – 3 Moromiso Steak

Both are tender and lean slices of beef interlaced with asparagus, all stacked up neatly in a pile

The Rib Eye above is made with Teriyaki sauce while the Moromiso below boasts a strong miso taste 🙂

 

Fabulous, I must say.
Next up – or should I say my favorite part? – is Sushi time! 😀
 

Oh yesss. Temaki, Sushi, Makizushi, Nori and Wasabi galore! We were served many different kinds of sushi but here are the ones that won my recommendation, hands down!

 


 

Here's the Alaska Roll!

 

 

Loved it. Crabstick, cucumbers and avocado topped off with roe, salmon sashimi and even more avocado.

Quite a common dish in most Sushi joints but you know you can never go wrong with this. It's yum!
 

Alaska Roll goodness in your face again

And in mine! Slurps.
 

 

Here's the Kano Roll all cute and pretty in red!

Can't help that I like it even before eating it already, it's while black and red! My kind of sushi color 😛

 

Cucumber, Tamago (Japanese for egg omelette), Unagi (Japanese for eel) and Avocado

Thumbs up!
 

Spider Roll! Very crunchy till the last bite

This one has a slight spicy aftertaste because apart from Soft Shell Crab and cucumber, lies Spicy Salmon!
 

 

Finally, the creme de la creme of the crop is here. Yes, I saved the best for last.

Let me introduce to you my favorite dish of all time in this restaurant, the Hokano Roll!

 

It's the signature of Hokano Japanese Restaurant itself, chef's specialty

and my recommendation all in 1 fine hand rolled sushi

 

Mouth-watering without a doubt 🙂 Try beating that.

Word of advice? Don't ever leave this restaurant without ordering this dish

 

It's just everything delicious all packed into one satisfying bite. A stellar combination indeed, if I do say so myself!

All in all, this place definitely gets good ratings from me.

 

My verdict? A hidden gem offering awesome food (pretty affordable too!) along Uptown Damansara facing the LDP highway.
 

With Mrs. Ho, the co-owner of Hokano. Husband and son (both chefs) were still busy inside the kitchen

Oh and yes if you're wondering, it's a family-owned business for 6 years to date 
 

 

Such a waste how I never noticed this Japanese food treasure trove before, as its not the typical commercial (and overrated) Sushi chains you would usually see in malls.

For the lack of a better expression, Hokano beats Sushi King and Sakae Sushi anytime in my books.
 

Till then, I'll be back
 

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Oh, hello there!

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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