Buka Puasa @ The Melting Pot Cafe, Concorde Hotel KL

How quickly time flies - Ramadhan/ Bulan Puasa starts next week!...

Do take note that this is an invited review - So, here are my usual disclaimers:
1) I have not been paid to write this, but neither have I paid a cent for my meal,
2) I will still be as objective as possible re. the food/ restaurant, and
3) If I go back to the restaurant incognito and find that the food/service is horribly different from this experience, I will amend my ratings here...

A mother and son team, dishing up traditional Padang food? - how sweet...
:)
Mother and son, Sambasri Harun and Irwan Arifin, posing with their signature dishes....
.... and they are serving up delicious traditional cuisine from their hometown, Pariaman in Padang, Indonesia - with a beautiful blend of fragrant spices accentuated by a mild, pleasing (chilli) heat on the tongue....

- The famous Fat Boy Bakes, with a big bone in hand:
(Look at that gleeful smile!)
FBB with his big Sup Gearbox soto....
- Many famous Padang dishes like Dendeng Paru to whet your appetite:
(It's lungs... usually I'm squeamish about consuming these kinda body parts but in this case, it's yummy!. There is also an array of other Padang classics like daging dendeng bakar, gulai urat lembu, opor ayam, sotong berlado, ikan masak bumbu, udang tusek, sambal lado hijau, keropok belinjau, keropok kulit lembu and much more...)
Eating lungs are good for your lungs, right?....
- Delicious array of curries - here, the fish head curry:
(Went so well with rice)
Curry + rice = YUMS....
- Grilled Lamb. Stuff with Rice. Delish!
(This was one of my favourite dishes that night - especially the rice, which was wonderfully spiced and flavoured by the lamb)
The chefs dish up the lamb....
- A selection of meats and seafood - take your pick and the chefs will grill it for you:
Food prepared a la minute....
- If you don't feel like curry/rice, there are also fresh seafood - Oysters and lightly cooked Prawns:
Many other cuisines to select....
- There is so an array of other cuisine, like Chinese (steamed fish, tofu, dimsum) and Japanese (Tempura prawns, etc):
Choices, choices....
- A variety of Local desserts, including kuih-muih like kuih lapis and comfort food like various pengats:
Tummy warming Malaysian desserts....
- Desserts a la Orang Putih (Western folks) available too!:
(Cakes, macaroons, ice cream and many others....)
My favourite part of every meal....
- It's the Concorde KL after all, so it's a nice setting in the main Melting Pot Cafe dining area:
(Reservations are highly recommended, as it usually gets very packed)
Comfortable although crowded....
- There's also a live band around to entertain you as you dine:
Somehow they managed to make Bieber's Baby song sound interesting....
Price-wise, I think it's pretty reasonable, considering it's a very reputable hotel in the KL area:
- RM 89++ per adult,
- RM 44.50++ per child (4 to 12 years old).
(There is also a 20% discount during the 1st and 4th week of Ramadhan!)

We were also told that they will be changing the menu everyday, to keep things exciting, so you can just keep going back again and again, if you want to. :)


PS/
Thanks (and *HUGS*) to the witty Fat Boy Bakes for extending the invite and of course, to the sweet Julini of Concorde for being such a good hostess.

Summary Information:
Buka Puasa @ The Melting Pot Cafe, Concorde Hotel KL
(August 1 to August 29, 2011)
(Reservations highly recommended)

Opening Hours: For the Buka Puasa - 7pm onwards
Phone: 603-2144 2200
Address: 2 Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur
Official Website: Click here

HALAL

OTHER REVIEWS:
- Bisous a Toi
- Motormouth From Ipoh – Malaysian Food & Travel Blog
- Lionel Ong
- Fat Boy Bakes


MAP:

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TAGS: Food, Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Restaurant Review, Restaurant Reviews, Nasi Padang Pariaman, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Concorde Hotel, Melting Pot Cafe, Buka Puasa Buffet

Penang Assam Laksa FTW! :)

LOVE LOVE LOVE....

Oh, Penang Assam Laksa....
I have loved you all these years, with all my heart, but now, the world has acknowledged your awesome-ness too.
*HAPPY*
The object of my affection....
Your comforting complex taste - sweet/savoury/sour, spicy, fishy (in the best way possible), accentuated by the fragrance of the bunga kantan (ginger flower?) and mint leaves, with an extra ooomph from the added hae koh (prawn paste), enveloping the slippery smooth strands of noodles - MMMmmmm. Delicious delicious-ness. My perfect comfort food on a rainy day... :D
(Or any day, really)

Why this sudden declaration of love? Well, if you haven't read it already, here's the link to the CNN Go's recently published World's 50 Most Delicious Foods......
(Look out for Entry Number 7)

Luv laksa long time,
J

TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, KL, Penang Assam Laksa, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

New Beer In Town

Beer-y good fun and minums at a recent launch at G Tower....

I met an ex of mine recently when he visited Malaysia... and he exclaimed how he was really surprised I like drinking beer now....

It's not THAT strange for a girl to enjoy a nice, ice cold beer once in a while, is it? ;)
(... Or even more than once in a while)

There was a time when I thought beers tasted horrible,... but that's before I tried some of the really lovely beers available. One interesting new discovery, is the Kronenbourg Blanc, the newly launched "white" beer from the French brand, Kronenbourg 1664.

I got to taste it at the launch party, which was held at the brand spanking new and GORGEOUS View Rooftop Bar of G Tower:
Beauiful view of the KL skyline from the top of The View....
Mmmmmmm. I found the light but evidently fruity taste of the beer really interesting - would love this served ice cold, while I lay down at the side of a beach. :)
The new Kronenburg Blanc (front) and the existing classic Blue Kronenburg (back)....
The artistically painted models at the launch were really interesting too:
Ooh la la....
It's art?....
HUGE thanks and *hugs* to the gorgeous Agent Ciki who allowed me to borrow her photos - my camera doesn't perform very well in low lighting....

Also, thanks to Alex and Gladys from G Tower, who so kindly extended the invite to this event - had a lot of fun. :)

For more info on the hotel/ the office units/ other facilities, do check out their main website: CLICK HERE.

G Tower and Hotel, Kuala Lumpur
199 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur
Hotel Tel: +603 2168 1919
Hotel Fax : +603 2168 1818
Email : info@gtower.com.my

Leasing Tel: +603 2168 1800
Leasing Email: lease@gtower.com.my


Other posts on this event:
- Cumi dan Ciki
- Beerbeer
- I Come, I See, I Hunt and I Chiak
- Adventures of a Tomcat
- Kee Hua Chee Live


TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, KL, Kuala Lumpur, Personal

Kin Kin Chilli Pan Mee @ off Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, KL

Reputedly the original and best Chilli Pan Mee in KL....

Who hasn't heard of the (in)famous Kin Kin Chilli Pan Mee in KL? :)

Through the years, pan mee places have come and gone but Kin Kin remains, with its facade pretty much unchanged:
(Located in a slightly hidden block of shoplots, just off the bustling Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman aka Jalan TAR - sort of just behind the Honda showroom)
Outside Kin Kin....
Inside, it remains simple and down to earth - a typical coffeeshop setting, which can get VERY packed on weekday lunch times:
Simple - plastic chairs and tables....
I started with a side order of Pork meatballs (about RM 5 for a 1 person serving):
Yummy oinky bites....
Small, slightly bouncey and savoury, with a slight zing of salted fish(?) minced in - not fantabulous, but it's a good complementary part to a meal at Kin Kin.

There really aren't many choices here - just their signature pan mee, which comes in 1 standard size, in either dry (Korn low) or soup format (Chee-ee sui) (about RM 5.50 per bowl).

I much prefer the dry format - topped with an egg, minced pork sauce and deep fried anchovies (ikan bilis), with the accompanying small side bowl of veggies in a simple egg drop soup:
ALL MINE :D....
One thing that really wins points with me here is that the egg is always (as far as my experience goes) perfectly prepared - look at it in all its glistening, jiggly glory, oozing beautifully runny yolk with just a light prod of a chopstick:
LOVE...
The famed Chilli is served separately - it is FIERY, to say the least. There was a time when the attitudes of the owners/ waitresses there were EQUALLY FIERY (thus, their infamy for mostly horrible and brash service) but after such a long lapse, I got the feeling that they have mellowed over the years.....
(Bordering on friendly, even! Or maybe I went on a "good day" as compared to the last time, a few years ago?)
A plastic canister filled with chilli at every table....
You can add in as much or as little chilli as you like. I recommend starting with one spoonful and adding more later if you would like your tongue to sizzle:
(Mind you, I actually like spicy food but I can only handle about 1 and a half spoonfuls before it gets uncomfortably hot - it is a thin line between pleasure and pain, eh? lol)
All mixed up and ready for consumption!....
The beauty is in the mix. :)

All their lovingly prepared ingredients** make up the wonderful mix of textures and tastes - al dente noodles that are not the least bit starchy, coated with the sticky goodness of the runny egg, accentuated by the dry heat of the chilli, crunch from the crispy anchovies and savoury goodness of the pork mince.
(** As I understand, everything from the noodles to the chilli blend is prepared in house)

GLORIOUS.
(Hits all the right spots for me)

Of course, as many have pointed out, the serving size is pretty small for the price.... Still, this place remains a firm favourite for me if I have a craving for pan mee. :)
(Note: Prices stated are approximate because there is no receipt and I forgot - sorry!)

So it's: Simple setting, good chilli pan mee (reputedly the best) BUT can be very packed, service is infamous (although much better now), limited choices and serving size is on the small side......

Summary Information:;
Kin Kin Chilli Pan Mee @ off, Jalan T.A.R., KL

Opening Hours:
Weekdays 7.30am to 9pm,
Weekends 7.30am to 4.30pm (Closed on some Sundays - the last of each month?)
Phone: -
Address: No. 40, Ground Floor, Jalan Dewan Sultan Sulaiman 1, off Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, Kuala Lumpur
(BTW they also have a branch in Pandan Indah @ 6-G, Jalan Perubatan 4, Off Jalan Pandan Ilmu, Pandan Indah - it's closed on Mondays though)

NOT HALAL

MAP:

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OTHER REVIEWS:
- KY Eats
- Happy Happy
- You Get What You Give
- Meals I Had
- Motormouth From Ipoh


TAGS: Blog, Weblog, Malaysia, Jalan TAR, Restoran Kin Kin, Kin Kin Chilli Pan Mee, KL, Kuala Lumpur, Personal