Elegant Inn Hong Kong Cuisine, Menara Hap Seng, KL. Hairy Berry Crabs.

from Paranoid Android

(non halal)

Hairy Crabs.
A Chinese delicacy that is seasonal and is highly prized for it's roe. That makes the Female species highly prized and the Male erm.... sort of unprized. I guess that makes sense because it would be more difficult to find a hirsute Female than a Male. It is considered a pest in Europe as it is invading their ponds and streams and just shows that one man's meat is another man's poison. After all, flip through Elle and Vouge and see that all their female models are clean shaven and Brazilian waxed. It's probably a case of fearing the crabs being a bad influence on European ladies, I think.

It's Autumn again and all those unshaven, never used veet/nair before female crabs are being offered at Elegant Inn again. A prized Shanghai delicacy, it is served steamed here with vinegar and ginger dip.


I have to admit, the crabs did look like a mean MF, with hair sticking out all over the place. With 4 pairs of legs, one can hardly blame the crab for not being clean shaven.


The waitress proceeded to dismember the crab and placed all the body parts neatly on my plate. There were some wierd looking utensils which I reckoned were to dissect the crab surgically. Just like in an episode of Gray's Anatomy. Pass me the scalpel, suction, etc... Eat the roe first, the waitress said. The roe, the roe...


What can I say about the roe? Artery clogging stuff. But hey, all the delicious food kills you one way or another. The roe was as promised. Every morsel a delight of creamy, rich, sweet, sinful, intoxicating indulgence. Better than ayam kampung yolks. The meat was succulent and sweet. The vinegar they serve at Elegant Inn is top grade, slightly sweet dark vinegar that was very very balanced. I took about half an hour to finish the crab. And as I was eating, I got some tweets from the luminaries of Malaysian Food Bloggers, and they were actually having Hairy Crabs elsewhere too. Well, I'll just have to live my life at the bottom of the food blogger chain and get used to it, I suppose. The crabs tasted better with the salty and lonely crocodile android tears anyway. A pot of sweetened ginger tea was served at the end of the crab meal to neutralize the cooling effect of the crab.


Next was the Deep Fried King Pork Ribs. I am sure no king reared this pork, which probably had some sexy love handles before being slaughtered and sacrificed to appease this android. Crunchy and fragrant and perfectly fried. No complaints.


The famous RM 22 Elegant Inn special fried rice was ok. Be forewarned that Elegant Inn's menu is not very Single Diner friendly. The portions are probably meant for 3 to 4 people. And I was completely stuffed at the end of the eye opening meal. It was after all, my first attempt at dissecting the Hair Crab surgically, and I do have to declare that the operation was a success. All of the meat went down in my tummy and is well on it's way to cool my body, if you believe in that sort of thing.

Alert, Alert! Update!

Was told by FBB that I was mistaken. Actually Male Crabs has better roe, and the roe consists of sperm! I was too polite to ask the waitress if she served me a male or a female crab and risk being regarded as a Male Sexist Pig. Neither do I have the zoological knowledge to locate the sexual organs of the Hairy Crab, not that I would know how a crab's penis would look like anyway. Now, I can only hope and pray that I did not just eat, savour and swallow some crab cum for lunch today! Aiayaiyayai!


Elegant Inn Hong Kong Cuisine
2.01 2ndFloor Podium Block,
Menara Hap Seng,
Jalan P. Ramlee,
Kuala Lumpur

Telephone: +6.03.20.70.93.99

Itching for Japanese. Edo Ichi, Solaris Dutamas, KL.

from Paranoid Android

(no pork served)

Interior of Edo Ichi

I seem to have zilch luck when it comes to dining Japanese in KL. I do not know what it takes to find a dank and small joint, fitted with cedar wood, smelling of stale cigarettes and an indescribable fishy yet intoxicating smell. Greeted with a warm towel and freshly grated wasabi. Hmmmm... So far, the trips to some Japanese joints had been a traumatic experience. I witnessed the senseless massacre of prime meat and fish in the name of some botched up idea of gastronomy. It has made me a bit hesitant in trying our Japanese joints in KL.

Edo-Ichi was recommended to me by some friends, and of course, after reading Boo's blog, I had to give it a go. The photos have a bluish tint because there was a huge aquarium behind me. I did not fire my flash because I was sitting at the sushi bar. I could accidentally blind the chef temporarily and served some sashimied finger.

Dobin Mushi


A single piece of prawn was sentenced to confinement in the the Dobin Mushi pot with some fish fillets as play mates. I could feel that it was sulking because it would have loved to play with some Matsusake Mushrooms too. The soup was not smokey enough, but the biggest fault was serving the soup with Calamansi instead of a rind of Lime which would have enhanced the flavours of the soup with it's tartness.

Bearing in mind that the visit was over the long Hari Raya weekend, the restaurant must have had some problems in sourcing the ingredients.

Tako Sunomono

The Tako Sunomono however, was perfectly vinegary, drizzled with lemon and served with wakame and kyuri and lightly sprinkled with Sesame. It was a perfect appetizer.

Tsubagai sauteed with Okra and Kimchi

The Okra with Tsubugai with Kimchi Sauce was perfectly sauteed with the Okra not overdone. The dish just screamed out for rice like a wailing banshee. The flavours were interesting, but not captivating.

Salmon Belly Sushi

Being the Raya weekend, they have run out of Toro and Uni, and I had to settle for the more pedestrian Salmon Belly and Hamachi Belly Sushi. Both were perfunctory executed with no frills and both were acceptably good. The cuts were fresh and unctuous.

Butter Sauteed Mushrooms

The mushroom (enoki) sauteed with butter and garlic was slightly heavy. The butter, garlic and salt overwhelmed the natural flavours of the mushroom. The Beef wrapped Enoki suffered the same fate.

Hamachi Belly

I am not sure if I am too much of a purist, but I found the most traditional dishes and the simplest dishes to be the best. Bad timing on my part to arrange for a visit during an extended weekend, I know. I would be back to sample more of the dishes again.

Yuzu Sherbet

If there is a reason to go to Edo Ichi, it would be the beautiful Yuzu Sherbet. Cold, crisp, tangy and light. I could have bowls of this without getting bored. The Frigid Ice Queen stole the show. Quaint.

There you are, a new Japanese joint and only two massacred dishes which is the best record for a Japanese Restaurant in KL for me so far. Just stick to the basics, and you won't go far wrong at Edo-Ichi.

Price were about RM190 for the above dishes plus an Asahi. Be prepared to spend about RM250 per person if you plan to get some really good cuts.

Service was good and efficient, despite the restaurant being quite full.

Edo Ichi satisfied my itch temporarily, but not completely. Next two on my list would be Ozeki and Kapoh. Typing is such a chore on my minuscule netbook, you guys will have to suffer some bad typos for a while till I get back. I should have brought my notebook.

Edo Ichi Japanese Restaurant
A4-G-1
Solaris Dutamas
Kuala Lumpur

Launch of YES 4G by YTL Communications Rates, Devices & ..

A lot was pronounced about a 4G standard, with a little revolutionary techs pushing to make their indicate heard about YTL Comms being dubious as well as misusing a 4G moniker.

Im not going in to that; for as a consumer, we severely dont give a s**t what they call it. Give me SPEEDY, ZIPPY & RELIABLE tie & Im happy. Even improved if all of which comes with in accord with rates.

The rates were eventually suggested yesterday. Just as mentioned in a soft launch HERE , there is no plan, no monthly commitments. YES is SIM-less & it is Pay-As-You-Use.

YES 4G YTL (17)

9 cents 3MB
3 cents 1MB
RM30.00 1G

Cheap? Expensive? You decide.

The current offer is RM99 for a Go Dongle and it comes with RM10 free credit for 10 months.

The Huddle a 4G Mobile Hotspot, shareable for up to 5 surfers during any a single time is RM399 (device only) or RM1199 for device & FREE Rm1200 credit. Interest -free complement devise is accessible at RM50 for twenty-four months. With a complement plan, it helps creation it affordable for many of us, only as YTL Comms promised.

YES 4G YTL (15)

More sum on a devices:

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The actual device: The Go USB Dongle, which came in a goody bags yesterday. Thanks YTL Comms! ;-)

YES 4G YTL (11)

Very small, really light.

YES 4G YTL (9)

YES 4G YTL (10)

The buzz entry turn 4G mobile phone by YTL as well as a Zoom, a 4G Gateway will be accessible from next month onwards.

YES 4G YTL (16)

Details:

YES 4G YTL (1)

The launch eventuality during JW Marriot yesterday. The ballroom was packed!

YES 4G YTL (2)

YES 4G YTL (3)

The charismatic Wing, CEO of YTL Comm on stage.

YES 4G YTL (5)

The eventuality was officiated by a Deputy Prime Minister, YAB Tan Sri Dato Hj. Muhiyiddin.

YES 4G YTL (4)

There was a demo where a Deputy Prime Minister placed a call over to London regulating his YES ID.

YES 4G YTL (7)

YES 4G YTL (6)

The YES ! flagship store during Lot 10.

YES 4G YTL (13)

The CUBE during a opening of Lot 10.

YES 4G YTL (12)

I cant wait to try out a so-claimed intensely zippy tie myself. we would definitely share my knowledge regulating YES once we get my Go dongle. ;-)

Thank you to YTL Comms for a invite!

YES 4G YTL (14)

For now, Congrats to YTL Communications for a launch of its YES 4GNetwork !!


Book Review & Writing Tips

Pumpkin Pie Spice

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Youre substantially starting to be loading up your cart at a grocery store with all kinds of Thanksgiving things this weekend.

Can we do me a large favor? Dont buy which foolish small glass container labeled Pumpkin Pie Spice. Its annoying. Itll only get lost in a behind of your piquancy cabinet until 3 years from now when we pierce and have to clean out your kitchen and find 7 foolish small jars labeled Pumpkin Pie Spice.

I consider we should have your own dang spice. You substantially already have each piquancy we need in your cabinet in front of a forgotten small jars of Pumpkin Pie Spice.

Wanna do it? Sweeeet.

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Pumpkin Pie Spice is a combination of each yummy autumn piquancy in your cabinet: cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice and nutmeg.

I can have a spice. Can someone greatfully turn this in to a shampoo for me? K. Thanks.

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Pumpkin Pie Spice

makes about 2 tablespoons

Print this Recipe!

1 tablespoon belligerent cinnamon

2 teaspoons belligerent ginger

1/2 teaspoon belligerent cloves

1/2 teaspoon belligerent allspice

1/2 teaspoon creatively grated nutmeg

big pinch of cardamom (or we can surrogate mace)

Blend all artificial flavouring together, working out any lumps which might occur. Store in an old piquancy jar.


Living & Leisure Buzz

A colorful gratin dauphinois for Design Sponge

gratin dauphinois virtuoso potato turnip gluten free

Two words: Gratin dauphinois. Trs franais. Very French. Very homey.

A gratin dauphinois the plate which everybody in my family fights over for the final square during the bottom of the dish. Its the plate which we keep reinventing following the seasonability of vegetables, anticipating brand new inspiration in beautiful full of color vegetables. This time, when we found the most exquisite pink turnips during the market, we knew which they had to go inside the dishand by the way, regular purple turnips would be only as nice.

I wrote this gratin dauphinois recipe for Design Sponges In the Kitchen with column. we was respected which they asked me to minister again. And we could not hold which the first two times we essentially contributed to the site were already over two years ago, before Lulu was born.

Most of we will have already have made plans for next week Thanksgiving dinner. But for those of we who havent yet, why not creation the plate then? It equates to comfort. It equates to family. It equates to we will be left happy. Beside, do we know any one who can conflict the potato gratin?

I dont.

You will find the recipe by following this link. we will soon post the French recipe too. Stay tuned.

Merci ! Design Sponge offers beautiful things to feed your eyes. If we are not nonetheless informed with it, check it out. Its unfit not to feel inspired.

Gratin dauphinois with sweet potato and pinkish turnipsShare and Enjoy:PrintDiggdel.icio.usFacebookGoogle BookmarksTwitter


Book Review & Writing Tips