Week One Giveaway Winners!

Week a single of a bigcrazygiant Nov giveaway has been a success. Im so blissful we all have been here. Im so blissful we all wish giveaway stuff.

Thank we to Minted for a $100 in legal holiday label stuffs. Sarah with a troops family did we get my email?

Thank we to Recycled Lovelies for a extraordinary necklace. Theresa Mullen. You won! Im starting to send we a necklace we wish to keep for myself.

Carrie! You won a Bakerella book! we hope we like baked sweat bread pops!

Jamie Woodbury! Youre starting to look super lovable in which Joy a Baker apron. Super sweet.

Thank we to Dapper Paper for a darling recipe cards! we love them. Rachel Schaefer. You win!

Rebecca W! You won those super lovable napkins from Picking Daisies. we love them.

If we see your name here Ive probably sent we an email. Leave a comment here. Lets connect.

Now if we didnt win yet well, weve got lotsa days of giveaway things to go. The Nov Giveaway couple during a tip of a page is where we wish to be.

If we wish to do a small legal holiday shopping these links have been totally a great place to start.

Thank we thank you!

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Il Primo Restolounge @ Jalan Kia Peng, Kuala Lumpur

from masak-masak by boo_licious

orechiette pasta with stewed rabbit

Il Primo (the first in Italian) is ideal for the indecisive. With a concept that promises a selection of three cuisines (Italian, Japanese, Chinese) under one roof, you will be spoiled for choice. For me, Il Primo strikes me a mish-mash of restaurants - there's a little of Shook! in here with the multiple cuisine offerings, a dash of Dish as there's the familiar looking bread basket made from brown paper, the small display deli of goods (yes, they only use Rustichella D'Abruzzo pasta) used in their cooking, and lastly a typical Chinese seafood restaurant since an emphasis is placed on fresh seafood you can order cooked various styles.

fish and shellfish caciucco - Tuscany style soup

The setting though is quite different as it is housed in a standalone building right smack in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. It shares the same premises with The Conlay (a club as I've been told since I've yet to walk through those doors) with ample parking that can probably resolve all of Changkat Bukit Bintang's parking woes in a snap. One reckons, this could be just a temporary site since it's prime property that should instead sport a high rise condominium. Property savvy friends tell me, this plot could be leasehold hence it's not as attractive as the other parcels that have already been developed. Nevertheless, I reckon the owners are just biding their time at the moment.

grilled king crab legs served with lemon butter sauce and black pepper

Onwards to the food. While you're choosing what to eat, you will be served two selections of amuse bouche. For the first visit, we had a nice shot of mushroom cappuccino with a salmon tamago. On a revisit, it was salmon again, first in a maki form and the other was cucumber roll topped with minced salmon.

Vialonenanao squid ink risotto with seafood and prezzemolo, mural, amuse bouche

I'm more used to the words "Il Primo" as the first course in an Italian menu - kinda like the pasta course before you move onto the main course, which is how the pastas are labeled in the restaurant's menu. We managed to sample quite a few dishes in this category. I loved the orechiette (little ears) pasta with the stewed rabbit (RM42). A hearty dish of al dente pasta with soft stewed rabbit cooked in a tomato sauce, this was literally what an Italian nonna would have cooked up for her grandchildren in old Italy. For the homemade beef cheek agnolotti with porcini mushrooms (RM52), it had an irrestible dash of truffle oil but it was slightly overcooked and the filling wasn't abundant enough for us.

garoupa with spicy sauce, sashimi platter

I was interested in the squid ink risotto with seafood and prezzemolo (RM48), something I have yet to try before. This particular risotto uses a special type of risotto rice called Vialonenano from Verona hence the distinct small pearl-like grains you see in the picture. However, I felt it was a little undercooked and not as creamy as I liked it to be. On the side were fresh mussels, clams and prawns. Prezzemolo refers to parsley but I couldn't really get any distinct taste of the herb.

homemade beef cheek agnolotti with porcini mushrooms

Seafood is definitely an emphasis here as even the soup, a Tuscany style caciucco or seafood stew (RM48) comes with an ocean's bounty of a marron, mussels and clams, that you won't get much soup out of it. The soup has a rich seafood taste but was just a tad too salty.

the open kitchen, lemon tart

For those who prefer their seafood pure and simple, the best way to enjoy it is the sashimi - thick pieces of salmon, tuna, yellowtail and sweet shrimp (selections start from RM95 to RM208). Everything is very super fresh for you to enjoy the seafood's sweet taste. If you're a little adventurous, they also do crudos - sashimi paired with olive oil and various kind of sauces like yuzu, balsamic reduction and even decadent truffle oil.

pistachio gelato

From the Chinese section, we sample a garoupa with spicy sauce (RM145) - deep fried and dressed in a sweet versus spicy sauce. They also do double boiled soups if you're looking for some comfort to your soul.

dessert time: macarons, vanilla bavarese with passion fruit, sacher torte and opera cake

For both of us, we thoroughly enjoyed the king crab legs about 200g portion (RM128) that was wood grilled in the open kitchen. There's powerful exhaust fans here working in the open kitchen that won't let you get smoke into your clothes. We savoured the each delicate and sweet bit of the crab legs, dipping it in the lemon butter sauce or just sprinkled with the saffron salt and a dash of lemon juice.

caramelised apple tart with vanilla gelato

Desserts here are pretty enjoyable especially the baci gelato (RM10) that comes laden with fruits and a piece of biscotti. I do like their lemon tart, a toothsome and not too sweet treat with a light pastry base. Other favourite was the vanilla bavarese with a tangy passionfruit heart. I wasn't too hot about the sacher torte, the opera cake and strawberry tart. On our revisit, we enjoyed the caramelised apple tart. Also available as part of desserts are a selection of pretty in pastel macarons. Tastewise, they ain't fantastic but they're awfully pretty though.

Overall, we thought the food was good even though it can cause you a hefty penny to dine here. The ambience though is a little strange as they have a band playing next to the dining area. If you like your meal in peace, this ain't the place as it can get a tad noisy. Service is good and attentive even though it can get a bit hectic especially when the wait staff are attending to a big party of people. For those who don't want seafood, they also serve wood charcoal grilled meat like lamb and beef.

Il Primo Restolounge

No. 26&28, Jalan Kia Peng

Kuala Lumpur

Tel:03-2143 2798

(Pork Free. Open for lunch and dinner daily. For more pictures, see my Flickr set. )

*Notice: The reviewer declares that part of this review was by invitation from the restaurant. Some items were paid for by the reviewer in the second visit to the restaurant.

Smoregasbord

Okay, lift your palm if youve done smores before. By fire, not microwave. Well, prior to the couple of days ago, we hadnt. we know. we cant hold it either. we feel like Im the usually the single whos never done these campfire treats.

Smores. Melty marshmallows as well as chocolate sandwiched in between graham crackers. Mmmmmm.

They have been intensely formidable to have so we thought we should request the process for you.

Okay, so thats not true. we know we dont need me to uncover we how to have smores, though given we blog about the things we make, we hope youll suffer these marshmallowy photos.

You only need 3 things.

Four, actually. Fire comes in handy.

Five. Friends to share them with have been good, too.

Skewers dont harm either.

Heat the marshmallows over the glow until the surface starts to get brownish-red as well as the inside gets all melty.

Its very scientific.

I like my marshmallows the bit upon the burnt side.

Remove the ooey slimey goodness from the skewer

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as well as sandwich in in between dual graham crackers. The exhilarated marshmallow will begin to warp your chocolate.

That is all. But, which isnt enough.

Because, then we get to go again.

This the single was warmed only enough but burning the edges. This print makes me instruct another the single pronto.

By the way, we might not be means to tell by the pictures, though these were mega marshmallows. Huge. Practically the size of the crackers.

I instruct we could remember the name of them for you. But we cant. Forgive me for teasing you.

Be glad its dim if we decide to make use of gigantic marshmallows. Lets only contend we would have done the great print for the brand new Got Marshmallow campaign.

So heres the fun part. Well, the some-more fun part. We done smores with the couple of kinds of chocolate.

Hersheys, Reeses as well as Carmello candy to name the few.

We done the little smoregasbord of chocolate as well as peanut butter as well as caramel oh my!

And we have to tell we the Carmello candy bars ended up being my favorite.

Yep. this one. we consider we will mental condition ! about we tonight.

Hope we enjoyed the pics.

Please tell me the which couple of of we have never done these either. Anyone?

Or if youre the pro during them, do we have any suggestions for smore kinds of combos? Im thinking nutella would be delish.

Book Review & Writing Tips

Ms. Jazz Reviews: Taste Paradise, Ion Orchard (Singapore)

Taste Paradise is conveniently located during IONORCHARD,one of a tall finish shopping malls along orchard road. What improved to begin a day with a still time having gooddimsums prior to working those legs as great as wallet upon most important things during hand, SHOPPING!

I've known of this place from LadyIronChef, whom bloghas a single of a most comprehensive eating beam in Singapore. I treated with colour it like a bible during my new SG trip.

We were skeptical during first (being in a mall as great as all-KL malls in all have distressing dimsums)but was fast put positive upon upon foot in to a restaurant. Inside poise some regal interiors with warm colours of often red as great as dark browns as great as semi-dimlightning formulating an superb atmosphere. We were there somewhat early though already a place was stuffing up. Having not made any prior reservations, you were propitious to be given a seat upon condition which you have to finish our meal inside of a set time frame. For those who wishes some-more privacy, in isolation rooms have been available too.


The dimsumswas deliveredquick enough, as great as use have been prompt. Our usual orders prawn dumplings, egg tart, boiled bean spread skin with prawns, siew mai, etc was all great rebuilt with no complains.


But what is value recommending would be a steam egg curstard bun aka lau sa bao
One portion comes in 3 pieces, though someone took as great as ate it prior to i had a chance to take pics, u know who u have been :)

Tearing it in to half, a glorious golden custard essence threatens to overspilll. It was each bit as great as i have expected, (whyever not? after all ladyironchef has explain which this is a best custard bun in singapore andvouch for it with her name) as great as soi assimilate each single bite witha reknown knowledge of how a delicious egg custard bun ambience like, which i would say... YUMMMMMMM!my only regret is you only ate a single portion when i could simply finish 3 helpings. :D



Another dish which got us overly vehement is a Foie Gras Xiao Long Bao. Reason given you had a single of a best Xiao Long Bao's in Ding Tai Fung, Shanghai as great as has talked about it for a great couple of weeks after you got back, given thenwe find tall as great as low for a comparable in KL, even to check out hubbub tai fung in pavilliononly to be dissapointed wi! th a ord inary selections.

Whilewe still think a version of Din Tai Fung's still tops a chart, Taste Paradise's served flattering great ones too. The ambience of foie gras was somewhat milder, though a pig stuffing was smooth as great as tender, as great as a skin was made right. We ordered dual portions of this!

Will i come behind to Taste Paradise upon my next revisit to SG? definitely!! a egg custard bun is already calling my name. In a meantime, i have to prove my Lau Sa Bao's longing during Dragon-i, assumingly they served flattering great version though i've yet to try it out!


~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Taste ParadiseION ORCHARDNo. 2, Orchard TurnSingapore
Tel: +6509 9660
(Open daily, dimsum starts during 11.30am upon weekdays, as great as 11am upon weekends)
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