Emotional Catharsis.

from Paranoid Android

One of those days when ineptitude of others drives me up the wall in rabid rage. When things go horribly wrong and newspapers are filled with drivel and the traffic is slower than the urine stream of an eighty year old man with prostrate problems. Mobile internet crawls so slow that emails take forever to load on my BuggerBerry. 4 zits popping out of my chin. Arghhhh!

Vichyssoise of Artichoke with Botan Ebi and Smoked Caviar

I headed to my favourite restaurant for some immediate relief. Gustatory Therapy. First to greet me was a cold soup with Botan Ebi, Smoked Avruga and Shoyu Jelly nestled on top of creamy artichoke Vichyssoise. Cooling and Calming, I took a few deep breaths and continued to savour the delights of some cold soup on a day when the temperature was hot and the psyche was in tumultuous rage.

Foie Gras Enfold with Dried Yuba and Balsamico Dressing

Next was a piece of Foie, wrapped in Folded paper thin Yuba (Foo Chook) that was deep fried until it was crunchy. It was served sitting resplendently on some puy lentils and served with a side of salad drizzled with Balsmico. I heard the angels sing and the unpleasant memory of losing my temper at some silly mistake someone made seemed further away.

Fresh Water Prawn with Squid Ink Pasta and Mixed Herbs

My wallowing in self pity was alleviated by the beautiful Squid Ink pasta wallowing in some rich Prawn Sauce bursting with Roe. It reminded me that deep in the squid ink darkness that defines my inner self, I am surrounded by resplendent friends who are rich in love. First some humorous email from @Fatboybakes about the amount of hair on @Nigelskelchy's head. A pick me up tweet from @Agentcikay checking for my vital signs.

Belgian Dark Chocolate Torte with Chocolate Ice Cream, a dream dessert.

A humorous tweet from @J_chocoholic about my previous post equating eating with sex. Another pickmeup sms from @keciktango and something about lunch from @boo_licious that added some sparkle to a listless day.

Even though lunch was ridiculously perfect and unbelievably good, it still took the small little things that friends do spontaneously to lift me out of my doldrums. The prospect of another sleep deprived night looms with piling work and my friends are probably oblivious to this post. Still, somehow I feel better because they are around.

No prizes for guessing where the food was from.
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Favorites List (Fall 2010)

I would similar to to share a new recipe with we right now, in fact we have a single all ready to go. But we fear many of we have shifted in to Thanksgiving mode. Meaning, if what we have to share isn't fit for a Thanksgiving table, we substantially don't wish to hear about it. And it's not. So we won't. Instead, we motionless to write up a new favorites list - something we adore doing. And for a handful of of we hitting this page today, still upon a search for Thanksgiving inspiration, I'll flog off a list with a couple of personal favorites upon which front:

- Here's an updated list of a a single preferred vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes: Golden-Crusted Brussels Sprouts, Roasted Delicata Squash Salad, Vanilla Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Hazelnut & Chard Ravioli Salad, etc.

- Thinking we need to do some-more things similar to this in 2011.

- A perfect shade of blue.

- Podcast pick: The Monocle Weekly. What alternative podcasts should we be listening to? we similar to newsy/current event ones.

- Soup deteriorate is unequivocally upon here. We had fog, rain, thunder as well as lightning final week. The soup in a print up upon top of became a a a single preferred this year. This one. I've cooked it during slightest ten times. If we have Moro East, give it a go.

- Daydream real estate listing series 1, as well as series 2. we stumbled upon which second a single a alternative day as well as it's all about a location as well as environment - it's surrounded by a enchanting Grace Marchant Gardens, only next Coit Tower.

- Favorite stocking stuffer: Jun Taylor's Candied Citrus Peels

- Saw this movie in Rome. And this as well as this given I've been home.

- Would adore to stay here someday.

- we similar to to add a pinch of this to my eggs, as well as also to a occasional vinaigrette for a little extra herby-green dimension. Oh! And we only beheld a Herriott Gr! ace roll ing pins during Terrain, partial of their Holiday Heirloom Collection.

- To my family, we would adore a subscription to this and/or this.

- Gabi's poetic food site - I've shortlisted this sweet tahini dressing.

- Think of a fun to be had around this.

- Tempted by this whim pants H2O filter.

- My walls are often white, but we adore saying fun/funky wallpapers.

- Vintage cookie cutters upon Etsy. Or Cameras.

- As as we head in to a holidays, we keep reminding myself of this inspiring concept/challenge.

And final of all, here's a short refurbish about the Kiva / 101 Cookbooks lending team. We've someway managed to have $111,000 in micro loans together. Nearly 4000 loans given we set things up in September 2008. Amazing. For those of we participating, have a look during your balance, we might have funds sitting there which could be re-allocated. -h

Continue reading Favorites List (Fall 2010)...


Living & Leisure Buzz

One World Hotel Zuan Yuan Chinese Restaurant

I was astounded to see a human traffic during One World Hotel upon a weekday. Due to its close proximity to a renouned 1 Utama Shopping Centre, & partly due to a preference of a walk-through passage to a shopping mall around a road house & clamp versa, a road house was pretty crowded with bureau workers when you was there for lunch recently. And you was told this is a norm.

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My lunch with Florence was during Zuan Yuan, One Worlds innovative Cantonese restaurant. As you strolled in, you beheld businessmen in suits; deep in review & groups of bureau workers in in isolation bedrooms sharing a couple of Cantonese meals together.
Bamboo baskets of low sum littered a little tables, as Zuan Yuan offers halal low total during lunch.

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Not bad, you thought to myself. A great place for a commercial operation meeting, over a little great food, as good as it is watchful enough. Classy place too, for bringing clients & not having to worry about looking similar to a cheapskate. LOL.

Below: The beautiful Oriental decor. (I managed to get this shot prior to a bureau throng swarmed in!)

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There was usually 2 of us for lunch, so you asked for a portions to be sized accordingly.

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Everything is rebuilt in Zuan Yuan kitchen; from a chilli sauce, braised peanuts to a vinegared chillies. Hence! a mutat ion of these small appetisers were evident.

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Mixed Green Bean Skin with Shredded Roast Duck in Chefs Specialty Sauce, (RM18++ per portion) started off lunch. A steep lover, you desired a tender slivers of beef softly flavoured by a Chefs sauce.

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We skipped a rice, not peaceful to let carbs spoil a appetite. Next was a appealing Chefs Special Sliced Prime Beef with Shredded Onion, Coriander as good as Wasabi. (RM30++ / RM45++ / RM60++).

The name was such a tease, prime beef, wasabi.. Hhmm..

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I positively didnt expect a soupy version! Oh my.. wasabi soup??

Anyhow, Im diversion to try anything. Florences face got all puckered up after a sip. Hahaha!

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I find this plate a bit Thai-ish. In actuality, it wasnt meant to be so during all. At a 1st sip, it was mild-flavoured beef soup during best. Then a amiable burn ensued, presumeably from a wasabi. The beef slices were tender though a tad gamey. Overall you find this plate lacking in character; stranded in between spicy, tangy as good as solid stock.

I was appeased with a Honey Glazed Boneless Chicken topped with Crispy Ginger Flakes. (RM26++ / RM36++ / RM50++). Tender duck chunks with sweet glitter as good as a many amazing slivers of fried ginger. The ginger were divinely crunchy, sweet though with a with a definate s! harp bit e. How you wish you could buy these in packets as good as break upon them similar to popcorns! Yes, Im weird. :-)

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Then a quintessential fish plate was served. Braised Grouper Fillet with Mandarin Orange Skin in Spicy Sauce (RM28++ / RM42++ / RM56++ (Large)) is a featured item here during Zuan Yuan. Again, it was a name of a plate which piqued a curiosity.

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While it incited out to be Claypot Fish (hehe), this is a very good rebuilt claypot fish. The slivers of mandarin skin adds a bit of zing to a flavour though overall it wasnt sharp as a name done it out to be. you still favourite it though, for a firm sweet grouper was expertly fried as good as coated in a flavoursome sauce. The cloves of garlic, sweet peas & bean curd sheets (tau kan) happened to be my favourites as well.

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Stuffed, you ended lunch with an additional interesting declared dish; a Sugar Free Ginseng Panna Cotta, (RM13++) which proved to be a great preference though you had my reservations during first! you meant desserts sugar free??? Thats blasphemy! And as if which wasnt bad enough, it has ginseng. So its a sugar giveaway & bitter medicinal tasting dessert *faints*

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But it was good. Very good. Heck, it was a significantly impressive ! creation . A beautifully Chinese -Italian fusioned dessert.
The firmness/wobbliness of a panna cotta was only right. It was creamy, with a spirit of bitterness, not upsetting though possessed an interesting aftertaste sufficient to provoke a palate. you desired it.

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Below: you unearthed a little ginseng roots.. ;-)

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A pretty affordable commercial operation lunch for 2!

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More pictures: The in isolation rooms.

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Stunning clear chandeliers lend to a opulence ambience of each dining room whilst plush runner adds upon to a abounding finishing of understated Oriental elegance.

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Facing a main dining area is a open kitchen where guest can watch a master chefs in movement whilst feasting upon Zuan Yuan Cantonese meals as good as low sum.

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Stunning artefacts of booze jars greeted guest as they walked in from a entrance. The decor unequivocally screams Oriental with a abounding splashes of red as good as liberal make use of of gold for which air of luxury.

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Zuan Yuan Chinese Restaurant @

One World Hotel

First Avenue
bandar utama city centre
47800 petaling jaya
selangor, malaysia

Phone +603 7681 1111
Fax +603 7681 1188
Business hours:
Monday to Friday:
Lunch12.00 noon to 2.30 pm
Dinner6.30 pm to 10.30 pm

Saturday, Sunday as good as Public Holiday:
Lunch11.00 am to 2.30 pm
Dinner6.30 pm to 10.30 pm

For reservations or enquiries, please call (603) 7681 1159.


Living & Leisure Buzz

San Terri Cottage, The Gardens, Kuala Lumpur

Although Yuletide is still the month away, most departmental stores in The Gardens Mall have already decked out their display windows with Yuletide decor.

Robinson's, The Gardens Yuletide decor


Each year, The Gardens Club will present their cardmembers with the nominal cut of baked sweat bread for their birthday. The baked sweat bread can be picked up from the nominated bakery during the birthday month. This year, the nominated bakery is San Terri Cottage. From the choice of 5 flavours available, we chose Footy (RM6.50) since my daughter likes chocolate cake.






I was intrigued as to why this baked sweat bread was declared "Footy" so we searched the internet for an answer. Apparently, the name comes from the mini footprints imprinted on the tip covering of the cake. However, the baked sweat bread which we got which day was clearly blank the footprints.


That said, we wouldn't error the baked sweat bread in terms of flavour as it was absolutely delicious. Rich chocolate baked sweat bread with cream as well as blueberry layers. Furthermore, it wasn't too sweet. we would definitely be back for more, carrying spotted the couple of other flavours we would similar to to try. This would be the nice change from Secret Recipe, which have recently let me down with their poor baked sweat bread peculiarity (ie not fresh).


Thanks to The Gardens Club for the nominal cake.


Price: Cakes have been priced in between RM6.00 to RM8.00 per slice.

Location: San Terri Cottage, Lot LG-K-06, Lower Ground Floor, The Gardens Mall, Mid Valley City, 59200 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (opposite Cold Storage)

Tel: 016-227 6429
Living & Leisure Buzz