Yummy Malaysiana: 08/27/11

Baby D's Early Birthday Celebration @ Sage Restaurant & Wine Bar, The Gardens Residences, Kuala Lumpur

Our son turns 1 this week. To celebrate his birthday, we took both our kids and their grandparents to our favorite restaurant, Sage. We asked for a private room since we had our kids with us and did not want to disturb other restaurant patrons. The private room was suitably spacious.

We took a little peek outside the main dining area and noticed that they have changed their chairs. Since it was Baby D's birthday, we had wanted to take a photo of him with Chef Daniel but unfortunately it was the chef's off-day. Maybe next time.

Freshly baked bread

Refreshing welcome drink. In the background, Baby C feeding her grandmother some bread :)

Baby C's first time at Sage. She enjoyed it very much :)

When the Consomm of Foie Gras with Fresh Mushroom and Pacific Oyster arrived at our table, our jaws dropped. I was surprised that they served 3 fresh oysters with the consomm... was only expecting 1 when I read the menu. The consomm must have been good since my dad had the look of satisfaction on his face when he finished.

The oysters were really fresh... managed to tr! y one :D

Pacific Oyster

The Tataki of Tuna Chutoro with Green Asparagus and Truffle Soy came beautifully presented. It also tasted great; the tuna belly has been lightly seared and topped with truffle soy. However the portion was rather teeny.

Pretty but small

Hubby's eyes light up whenever he sees wagyu beef on the menu at Sage. Everyone at the table had the Wagyu Beef Striploin cooked medium rare, which was served with a lovely creamy Dauphinoise Potato and French Mustard Sauce. A dish we thoroughly enjoyed.

Wagyu Beef Striploin with Dauphinoise Potato, French Mustard Sauce

The bavarois at Sage is fab and one of my favorite desserts here. So I was pleased when I saw this on the menu. The green tea bavarois was wonderfully wobbly and served wi! th a del icious red bean ice-cream. The ice creams at Sage always have a wonderful quality to them.

Green tea bavarois with crme anglaise, red bean ice cream

We loved the red bean ice cream as much as the bavarois... excellent dessert!

And the wonderful people at Sage presented Baby D with a chocolate mousse cake for his birthday! Happy Birthday dear darling..

Happy 1st Birthday Baby D

His sister helped him wipe the plate clean. Sharing is caring.. :P

Baby D at Sage

My precious children enjoying each other's company.. words are not required for their love for each other is obvious

< img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJC5krQok0CRl5wuYn-fSIdEKSJ6fCiJlJ62wRhIELbMPjzlmaR9sQBUwH4B1F0GF6ibbsiHoWCu-ZvrNjphBW8GLtFpG79C8mWPzJm14A9RFi-E7nqFZWSzuvs8EEzLoVDsMN4AbN-Uw1/s400/s16.jpg" border="0" />A first birthday celebration, surrounded by the people who loves him, what more can a child ask for?

Full set of photos available to view here.

Opening hours: Lunch:Monday to Friday 12.00pm to 2.00pm; Dinner:Monday to Saturday 6.00pm to 10.30pm. Closed on Sunday.

Service: Good.

Price: RM100 nett. 10% off with The Gardens Club card.

Location: Sage Restaurant & Wine Bar, The Gardens Residences, Level 6, The Gardens, Mid Valley City, Lingkaran Syed Putra, 59200 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2268 1328

Website: http://www.sagekl.com/

Favorites List (August 2011)

Hi all - just a quick hello today. East coasters, I'm thinking of you. Hope you're hanging in there with the weather. Please stay safe. There's quite a bit going on on this end, but this past week I did my best to tie up loose ends so I'm free to play a bit more during these last weeks of summer. I worked on a feature with this guy for a favorite magazine - super excited. I started thinking about what I might share at this. I had a fan girl moment when I finally meet these lovely ladies at Omnivore Books. And lastly, to cap off a month of amazing house guests, I'm getting ready for this one to touch down in SF for a few days. Yay for all of it. So, while I regroup a bit, here's a favorites list and I promise to be back later in the week with an extra special recipe.

- This white Olivetti Valentine

- These balloons

- That's Not Trash, That's Dinner

- Design*Sponge in print :)!

- Cholas (via Alice).

- Furoshiki

- rosegolden

- Cameras for Kids

- Clas! s: Make your own Waffle Iron

- Ten Minutes with Timothy Archibald

Fiction: just ordered this, this, and this

- DIY sodas.

- This post made me smile.

And lastly, two things that make me proud to be part of the food community - #afundforjennie, and Tales from High Mountain. It has been inspiring to see acts of individual and collective kindness come together to support people going through incredibly difficult times. Thinking of you every day Jennie.

The opening photo is a snapshot of a corner of my inspiration board at this very minute.

Continue reading Favorites List (August 2011)...

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri

Lin Yuan

Our first eating expedition in Cheras since heaven-knows-when.

Pumpkin porridge steamboat is Lin Yuan's specialty _ a unique gastronomic pleasure.

To immerse in the sweet, creamy broth: quail eggs, pork tendon balls & fish paste dumplings, combined with a couple of raw chicken eggs cracked inside.

A little spicy sambal & house-made soy sauce ensure a powerful kick.

Toss in some noodles for the final step to satisfy the tummy.

Lin Yuan Steamboat Kitchen,

Queen's Park Cheras, Jalan Shelly, Kuala Lumpur.

Homecoming & The Craving for Sambal Petai Story

Sambal Petai A wonderful creation but why the notorious reputation?

Back in Ipoh!!!

At times the craving can be so strong Id do whatever to get it fixed.

In this case, I was literally dreaming of petai. Yup, those repulsively stinky beans from hanging pods; best cooked in a spicy sambal belacan paste, paired with plump/succulent prawns and usually requiring copious amount of mouthwash to rid the after-effect.

The realization that I have not been having my regular fix of petai hit me on one of the evenings in KL. The sight of a mouthwatering pile of crunchy green beans cooked in a stark red chili paste infused with an equally pungent shrimp paste (belacan) was inviting, to say the least.

So strong was the craving that the first thing that struck my mind upon arriving in Ipoh this morning . was petai.

Sweet and Sour Pork For the child in you and me

I threw a question on All About Ipoh few days ago, asking for recommendations. An easy way out, I know. But it has been more than half a year since Ive moved to KL. And the sheer number of new restaurants/cafes in Ipoh left me bedazzled more often than not. Although I still have my reservations with regard to their sustainability.

Dont get me wrong, the good old Ipoh classics should be cherished as these are still gems of this charming city that was literally built from the legacy of tin mining. But it! s alway s an encouraging notion to see new proprietors slugging it out with the authentic champs (or lou jiu pai); more so when these new kids on the block attain measurable success.

When a whole fish with bones sounds too much of a hassle, go for the filleted ones.

Tammys Kitchen comes to mind, though the sudden surge in customers rendered them incapacitated; as this was supposedly a family affair more than an all-out restaurant serving the hungry masses. And if you dont already know, she bakes the BEST quiche in Ipoh so far.

(*Please note that they now close on Mondays and Tuesdays, and operating hours shortened to 12-8pm only)

Lots of gravy for the rice; a good bet for the young and the old.

Getting back on track here, tonights dinner was at Top Wok, a short distance away from the aforementioned Tammys Kitchen. This was not the first visit, and you can read my previous experience at Top Wok if you insist.

The immense influx of out-of-towners (Raya homecoming) jammed up the streets of Ipoh to an extent that we would rather stay home or choose a place nearby for food. Compared to KL, you may say bah . Peanuts . But then again, the streets of Ipoh were never meant to accommodate THAT many vehicles on the road anyway.

Top Wok was not our immediate choice for dinner. But can-lah ! . since none of us was in the mood of driving all out and caught in the jam anyway.

Fan Shu Miu has always been one of our favourite orders to complete the balanced meal.

Verdict? Not as good as I had remembered. The sambal petai was passable, though the smaller beans and softer texture left much to be desired. Not spicy, so the kids can get acquainted to spicy sambal dishes, and introduction to this marvel bean named petai.

The other dishes were above average, yet the sweet and sour pork paled in comparison to some of the better ones in Ipoh (eg: Sun Marpoh, Wong Koh Kee, Mun Ji). The claypot beancurd shone where the others faltered, flavourful and homely with a delectable gravy thats a perfect complement to the rice.

Their usually brilliant sweet potato leaves (fan shu miu) was awful this time around; the old shoots were fibrous and the lack of garlic was evident in the taste. The grouper slices stir fried with ginger and spring onion finished off the medley of dishes yet did not register in our minds; being neither impressive nor poorly executed.

And so, the hunt continues . Maybe should have settled for Yum Yum instead. Assam House is no longer spectacular like in their heydays, and Kim Balis lost the identity somehow. 1919 is perpetually packed though, and Bee Gaiks been receiving negative comments lately.

Now now What to eat in the coming days?

**Clic! k here f or the full address, contact number and Google Map to Top Wok Seafood Restaurant

Ramadan Buffet 2011 Cinnamon Cafe, One World Hotel

I have read previous reviews on Cinnamon Cafes Ramadan Buffet last year & was suitably impressed.
In fact, it has left such an impression on me that I had always wanted to sample it myself.

The opportunity presented itself this year, when I was invited to sample the spread with some friends. I even got one of the bloggers to help me record a video (which will be uploaded soon!) of the marvellous spread here.

No Ramadan buffet above the price of RM60 should be without LAMB.
Below: Whole Roast Lamb With Roasted Vegetables And Briyani Rice And Sauce Condiments.

As the spread is the widest I have been so far, even more than Latest Recipe at Le Meridien and The Living Room, Westin KL, I will keep my description concise & let the pics do the talking.

SELERA KAMPUNG-KU AT CINNAMON COFFEE HOUSE OF ONE WORLD HOTEL
1 30 AUGUST 2011

WHOLE ROASTED LAMB!

JAPANESE SECTION. My favourite after! the lam b!

SATAY.

APPETISERS: One can get bloated just from this section alone!

DIY Caesar Salad.

Hummus, Warak Enab(Stuff Vine Leafs), Mutabble, Tabuleh, Fatoush, just to name a few..

Selection of imported CHEESES.

HOMEMADE FUSION BREAD COUNTER.
Assorted Bread Loaves & Roll, Serunding Bread, Morocco Bread, Spices Zatar Bread Kurma Roll., Grissini Stick & Lavash.

SOUP.

Cold fresh appetisers.

Malay local starters:

Rojak Buah-Buahan With Traditional Condiments.

Malaysian Sambals.
Sambal Tempoyak, Sambal Budu , Sambal Belacan , Sambal Cincaluk , Sambal Hijau,
Sambal Cili Manis, Sambal Mangga Pedas , Sambal Kicap Pedas, Sambal Kacang ,
Sambal Asam Jawa.

Anika Kerabu Station - Malay salads.
Kerabu Sotong Seri Pahang
Kerabu Ayam Dara
Kerabu Daging Semantan
Acar Timun Dengan Nenes
Urap Daun Ceylon
Kerabu Nangka
Tahu Sumbat Kuah Chilli

Nasi Ulam.

Nasi Kerabu.

Hot appetisers.

HOT DISHES.

Assorted fried carbs.

Traditional must-haves: Lemang, rendang, roti jala..

Roti Jala & Chicken Curry.

Incredible India : Tandoori, Murgh Malai Tikka, Chicken Tikka, Fish Tikka. Seekh Kebab.

Grilled station: Charcoal Grilled Chicken Wing, Beef, Lamb , Squid , Mini Steak, Green Mussel , Crab, Otak Otak , Lamb Chop, Terubuk , Cencaru, Tenggiri , Kembong , Selar , Stingray.

ORIENTAL Dim sum!

NOODLES station: Penang Hokkien Mee this was pretty authentic! Im from Penang, so take my word for it!

Yong Tau Foo Coner:
Blanched And Dip With Your Choice Chili, Sweet Or Peanut Sauce
20 Items For Guests Choice.

Hainanese Chicken Rice
With Steam Or Roasted Farm Chicken, Roast Duck .
Thumbs up for this- veryflavoursomerice with crisp roasted chicken & duck.