It seems that I have not been updating my blogs as much as I want to... works have been very hectic and currently I have a new project going on which will involve a lot of traveling soon. And I have to juggle between my factory and my project... it's the beginning so a lot of hands on stuff to do right now.
FYI, I will try to squeeze some free time to write blogs whenever possible...
Disclaimer:
1) I'm not paid to promote/endorse any particular event, restaurant or person in this blog. ALL are based on my unbiased personal opinion.
2) My reviews are based on my personal taste and preference and therefore may vary for others.
Dinner with One-Star Michelin Chef Baptiste Fournier @ Mezze Bistro, Damansara Heights
So I have said that I will be dining Chef Baptiste Fourniers menulast Mon night and here whats I had!
My main course: One of his specialty dish The Duck Confit de Cannelloni. (RM70.00++ ala-carte).
It have reputed that Baptiste Fourniers cuisine is honest, fresh and surprising. After my dinner, I had to concur. His love for using the freshest & most natural ingredients is prevalent in his dishes.
That being said, if I were to sum up Chef Baptiste Fourniers style of cooking, I would say that that is very much an expected trait; and very French. It seems that just like most top chefs I have met during my MIGF dinners and through some of my exclusive meals with Michelin Chefs like Master Chef Benoit Vidal from France and the Celebrity Chef Stephen Mercer from Australia, all the best chefs believes in working with choice ingredients, and they cant emphasize enough on the importance of how the best & freshest ingredients is the key element for great dishes.
Soup. Pea Veloute with Grapefruit Sorbet.
When presented with the ala-carte menu that night, familiar dishes popped up in my face. Duck confit, lamb cutlet, beef tenderloin. One Frenchy item was the pigeon, which was again reputed to be Chef Baptistes specialty.
I settled for Duck confit as my main, though for those who know me, my default choice would always be lamb. But I got an unexpected dining partner that night that has placed his order for the lamb and he has happily agreed to share.
Starters. Carrot and orange tartlets. Spinach and mustard tartlets.
I much preferred the spinach and mustard tartlets to the carrot one; as the spinach tarts has a lovely unexpected flavour to them, thanks to the slight zing from the mustard.
The soup came shortly next, and the greenish brew had both of us taken aback. Well, you know what they say about not judging a dish by its looks, for this turned out unexpectedly refreshing, a delightful smooth (pea soups can be annoyingly gritty in texture if it wasnt pureed well) cold soup with a punch of tang from the grapefruit sorbet. Not much, but distinct enough.
Oh, seems that I have used the word unexpected twice for both starters. Kind of in agreement to what Chef Baptises reputation is Baptiste Fourniers cuisine is honest, fresh and surprising doesnt it?
I have posted up on my FB wall about my dinner with Baptise the day I was due to meet him. I gave the option to my friends to leave a comment on my wall status should they have any question so I can ask him on their behalf. One such question was what was the 3 key ingredient that Baptise will always have stored in his fridge.
His reply was fresh vegetables, yogurt and parmesan cheese. When queried why; his answer was simply because all of these is good for making salads; revealing again his love for fresh greens.
Entree. Terrine of Chavignol Fromage with Flame Raisins et Sauvignon Cream. (RM 38.00++).
Again, very fresh taste in every element of this dish. The tomatoes were absolutely bleeding in flavour and the goat cheese was heavenly; soft and blended with yogurt, basil, thyme, chives and raisins to give it essence instead of the usual bland goat cheese.
Entree. Fondant of Escargots et Pork Trotter in Vegetable Jus. (RM 33.00++).
I think this was the only dish devoid of greens. Even then, there were parsley and sage foam and celeriac mousse; both of which I enjoyed, or it could be that I just as fond of greens as well.
When I read escargot in the menu, the vision of cloying, baked snails in cream came to mind. However, I just had to order this because of the words pork trotter and it turned out to be a good decision. When it was served, again it took us by surprise; a charred block of what could have been mistakenly labelled as burnt pancake. Unfortunately tastewise it was as charred as it looked, but Chef Baptise has clarified that it was meant to be hence rest assured it was no accident in the kitchen. The inner parts of it was darn tasty though, with gelatinous cubes of pork trotters and generous amount of delectable french snails.
MAIN: The Duck Confit de Cannelloni. (RM70.00++ ala-carte).
I find the duck confit a tad salty, again no thanks to my very sensitive and low salt tolerance palate. A guy on my right who ordered it earlier had given thumbs up to the dish though so Im suspecting its just me.
By now you would have guessed right if you were to deduce that I liked Baptises food. It was nothing out of ordinary true, but yes it is honest, fresh and for certain dishes, does offer some pleasant surprises. Kudos to Mezze Bar & Bistro for hosting him & for keeping PRICES LOW for the rest of us. For a One Star Michelin Chef menu, the prices are on par (if not cheaper) than some of our KL fine dining restaurants!
!
The piece de resistance of the night has got to be the lamb cutlet. Again Chef Baptise surprised us with thick round cutlets of sous vide lamb bordered with thick juicy melt in the mouth fat (I was expecting grilled lamb cutlets!). Utterly sinful but it was good! The meat were juicy, moist and pink. The sides of fruity mango salsa and paired very well with the lamb.
DESSERTS.Baptistes Fine Apple Tarte with Caramel Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. (RM24.00++)
Freshly baked apple tart with lovely layers of cripy pastry, unlike the usual tart crust. Good but a tad too sweet for me.
! Baptises uncle was in town as well, showcasing their estates wines and pairing it with Baptises food.
I asked for a white, something fruity and not too dry but nicely rounded. I was then served the SANCERRE WHITE FOURNIER Cuve Silex, a 100% Sauvignon blend. The estate of which the vineyard is located - Sancerre is best for the Sauvignon in the whole of France, as I was told by Claude Fournier, the President of FOURNIER Pre et Fils.
Happy wackybecky with good food and lovely wines!
An even happier wackybecky with Claude Fournier and the Michelin Star Chef himself Baptise!
Stuffed, Baptise insisted that I sample another of his specialty the Baptistes ! Signatur e Mustard Ice Cream with Cool Tomato Gazpacho (RM 28.00++).
The soup was poured around the mustard ice cream right before my eyes and we were told to savour the ice cream and the gazpacho together & taste its unique blend of flavours. The mustard ice-cream may sound funny, but it was actually quite saltish with only very slight tinge of spice, barely noticeable if you were to taste it together with the tangy gazpacho. Again, this is something of a surprise twist to an otherwise cliche cold soup. Very well done Chef Baptise!
Chef Baptise Fourniers exclusive Ala-Carte menu for Mezze Bistro will be available daily for dinner, from 29th October till 3rd November 2011 with a special food and wine dinner night on Wednesday 2nd November 2011, 8pm, priced at RM350nett per person with wines and RM280nett per person without wines.
BAPTISTE FOURNIERS SPECIAL FOOD AND WINE MENU
2nd November 2011, 8pm
Aperitif and pre-entre
Frais Tireur (shooter) of the day
paired with Fournier Pere et Fils Louis! ette Vio gnier 2008
Starters
Peine Cuit Scottish Red Label Salmon with Celeriac et Granny Smith Apples
paired with Fournier Pere et Fils Sancerre Paul Vattan Domaine de St Romble 2009
***
Fresh grilled US Scallops with Jerusalem Artichoke in 12yo Balsamic
paired with Fournier Pere et Fils Sancerre Cuvee Silex 2008
Salad
Signature Fournier Coddled Organic Egg with Champignon et Petite Brioche
paired with Menetou Salon Fournier Pere et Fils 2006
Main
Australian grass-fed Lamb Cutlet with Spinach, Chavignol Fromage & Smoked Aubergine
OR
Duck Confit de Cannelloni
paired with Sancerre Cuvee 22 Fournier Pere et Fils 2008
Dessert
Chocolate Pleasures with Praline et Hazelnut on a silky Dacquoise
paired with Sancerre Vendange D Helene Fournier 2005
with wines
RM 350.00 nett per person
without wines
RM 280.00 nett per person
For the ala- carte menu, please refer HERE!
Remember, he will be here til 3rd of November so do make your reservation FAST if you were to catch him in town.
Book at reservations@mezze.my or Mezze +603 2095 0122.
Limited spaces available, so please contact us to book at reservations@mezze.my or Mezze +603 2095 0122.
Venue: Mezze Bistro 132 Jalan Kasah, Medan Damansara, 50490 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: +603 2095 0122
Web: www.mezze.my
Another of Baptises mains the Australian Tenderloin Beef Angus with Truffled Royale Sauce (RM 110.00++). (This was a wrong order but I managed to capture a shot! )
All pictures are:
Bens Independent Grocer @ Publika
Well, BIG has conquered the dining scene in Bangsar, now bring it on Publika.
I must have done something good. My current headquarters is located in Publika, the home of the EAT village (with all yummy pork goodness) and the latest addition, Bens Independent Grocer. Now put a foodie in an area of 50,000 square feet, that stocks fresh produce, dry goods, organic products and even has a bakery and caf?; hyped up!
It;s an everything-under-one-roof place. You can find a bakery, a hot food store, butchery, roasters, winery, cheese room and even florist! Its quite hard to miss anything here. Theres also a chocolate bar coming up!
Lots of cheeses and dairy products
beans, pulses, sauces, oils.
Barn Butchery.
Ben & jerrys ice cream!
Coolest non-halan sign in a supermarket.
ah! kokoblack from melbourne! (but oh.so.exp.ben.sive)
bought a box of sea salt flakes and saffron!!
Ahh awesome isnt it? I still have yet to walk the entire place, as Im usually lingering around only during lunch time. I may take just 15 minutes to walk into a boutique, try something and buy a shirt but if its a grocery store so huge like this, I need an hour!
All 7 cups for RM 3.50! What a steal! They are having an opening promotion till 10th Nov in Plan b roasters in B.I.G. Its the one behind the cashiers. Now hurry go get your cup!
The coffees not too bad. not too bitter and doesnt leave a sour aftertaste, and not too hot. Im against coffee that burns the tongue as it destroys the goodness in the milk. They are ! also usi ng Farmhouse milk. Almost everything on the menu is RM 0.50. That includes your regular cappuccino and latte 
Believe me now ? Only from 9am to 11am from now till 10th Nov.
Coming up next, Bens General Food Store in B.I.G
Restoran Sam Yu Seafood @ SS3.
Almost forgotten about this restaurant !
Nicely nestled in a corner shoplot in SS3, Petaling Jaya opposite a fenced up football field.
Restoran Sam Yu Seafood is an offshoot from the partners of Restoran Sam Yau in PJ New Town.
Tonight, the weather was cold and wet with intermittent rain which does not seem to stop.
My daughter Michelle joined us for dinner as it was her off day.
Parking is OK.
Assorted vegetables curry-cooked Indian style with chopped Chinese round cabbage, okra, brinjal, long bean, big onion, red chillies, tau pok (beancurd puffs)- hot and spicy with an intense flavor-Rm12/. 
Meaty Pork ribs -deep fried and tossed in blueberries sauce-sweet and fruity flavor-Rm15/. 
Deep fried Ma Yau (Senangin) lay on a bed of good grade soy sauce and topped with finely chopped raw and pungent garlic (i prefer pickled garlic), shallot, Bird's eye chillies and Calamansi juice -the fish skin was crisp and it's flesh was moist and flaky-would taste better and sweeter if the fish was much fresher-Rm44/
Total bill:Rm77/
Location:32, Jalan SS3/35,
Taman Universiti, Petaling Jaya.
Tel:03-7875-1197/016-609-3092.
Nicely nestled in a corner shoplot in SS3, Petaling Jaya opposite a fenced up football field.
Restoran Sam Yu Seafood is an offshoot from the partners of Restoran Sam Yau in PJ New Town.
Tonight, the weather was cold and wet with intermittent rain which does not seem to stop.
My daughter Michelle joined us for dinner as it was her off day.
Parking is OK.
Assorted vegetables curry-cooked Indian style with chopped Chinese round cabbage, okra, brinjal, long bean, big onion, red chillies, tau pok (beancurd puffs)- hot and spicy with an intense flavor-Rm12/. 
Meaty Pork ribs -deep fried and tossed in blueberries sauce-sweet and fruity flavor-Rm15/. 
Deep fried Ma Yau (Senangin) lay on a bed of good grade soy sauce and topped with finely chopped raw and pungent garlic (i prefer pickled garlic), shallot, Bird's eye chillies and Calamansi juice -the fish skin was crisp and it's flesh was moist and flaky-would taste better and sweeter if the fish was much fresher-Rm44/ Total bill:Rm77/
Location:32, Jalan SS3/35,
Taman Universiti, Petaling Jaya.
Tel:03-7875-1197/016-609-3092.
Jude @ Brisbane, CBD
To all those who watched the Race that stops the Nation; namely the Melbourne Cup or the Emirates Melbourne Cup, cheers if you won and cheers for time off (officially or unofficially).
Having sneaked out of my office function just after the race that net me a lunch, I thought I share with you a spot in the city which is not much of a secret from the daily crowds.
We had always wanted to try Jude but was put off by a comment made about how it was all about salads and not substantial especially for a guy like me. However when we realised that there was a buy 1 free 1 deal on the Entertainment Card, we thought we might as well make the most out of it.
If there was one down side, it is the lack of menus. The only menu is up on the board which ranges from burgers, fish and ships and etc and then you got a choice of a ton of salads to go with which are on display at one side. For those who are indecisive, you will feel a bit lost in the middle of the crowd, trying to decide what you want to eat.
Having sneaked out of my office function just after the race that net me a lunch, I thought I share with you a spot in the city which is not much of a secret from the daily crowds.
We had always wanted to try Jude but was put off by a comment made about how it was all about salads and not substantial especially for a guy like me. However when we realised that there was a buy 1 free 1 deal on the Entertainment Card, we thought we might as well make the most out of it.
If there was one down side, it is the lack of menus. The only menu is up on the board which ranges from burgers, fish and ships and etc and then you got a choice of a ton of salads to go with which are on display at one side. For those who are indecisive, you will feel a bit lost in the middle of the crowd, trying to decide what you want to eat.
The Wife originally wanted to try the assorted arancinis but found out you don't get one of each flavour but two of one flavour. With that not as appealing as it did, she settle for good old fish and chips. The fish came out fresh and not dripping in oil and I must say, we found a new spot for chips because the ones at Jude are awesome!
I have been wanting to eat lasagne for awhile and it was an easy choice. Choosing the salad was a hard one though and in the end I thought order something that I would never cook at home; beetroot salad with goats cheese and it was awesome too!
Prices are slightly more than the AUD 10 budget we put to ourselves, with a main, salad and chips closer to AUD 15-18. Add a drink and you are at AUD20. Luckily with the deal on my Entertainment Card, we were right on the budget.
Address and contact details:
Verdict: 4 stars out of 5 stars. Cute little place, wholesome food and yummy salads, the only thing that would stop me from coming back often is my AUD10 a meal budget.
Heineken Thirst 2011, headlined by Tiesto!
Tisto headlines Heineken Thirst!
Worlds No. 1 DJs only exclusive show in Asia.
Heineken Thirst Malaysias leading electronic music and lifestyle festival powers back to life at Sepang International Circuit this 10 December, bringing you an extraordinary line up of talent to end 2011 with a colossal explosion of cutting edge sound and lights.
For his only Asian date of 2011, Heineken Thirst presents Tisto, the Worlds No. 1 DJ along with the cream of Malaysian DJing talent DJ Blink and Phil K Lee, both former winners of Heinekens Found @ Thirst, a competition dedicated to unearthing and nurturing new Malaysian DJ talent, as well as the winner of this years Found @ Thirst.
Watch Tistos video message to his fans in Malaysia:
Following last years Heineken Thirst featuring Godskitchen Boombox will be no small feat for any artist. At that show, more than 7,000 festivalgoers were treated to an epic spectacle of mapped visuals and architecturally inspired dance floor entertainment which sets a new benchmark for any music festivals in Malaysia.
This year, its the cutting edge live show of Tisto that takes centre stage at the exclusively themed Heineken Thirst festival site. With an on-ground theme that reflects Heineken Thirsts exploration into next generation digital landscaping, entering the festival grounds takes you to a parallel universe where music, art and motion graphics collide to stunning effect.
Over the past decade, Tisto has blazed a path that all the other DJs and producers have had to follow. His shows have pioneered the use of light shows, lasers and LED screens that are now commonplace in electronic dance music, and now he moves forward again with a show for Heineken Thirst based on the massively successful Club Life Tour that has played to record crowds throughout the USA in 2011 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yethmfIa0j8).
Its the end of a long and busy year for many of our consumers, commented Jasmine Foong, Marketing Manager of Heineken Malaysia. Heineken Thirst is an opportunity for them to escape from their daily routines and immerse themselves for one night in this amazing festival and indulge their thirst for music and entertainment.
One things for sure, it wont be like any dance music show youve ever seen before. Its also an indication of the ever-expanding music universe that Heineken Thirst inhabits.
For more information on Heineken Thirst and Found @ Thirst, check out www.facebook.com/Heineken or www.heineken.com/my
Heineken Thirst
Date: Saturday, 10 December 2011
Time: 7.00pm onwards
Venue: Welcome Centre, Sepang International circuit (SIC)
Web: www.facebo! ok.com/H eineken & www.heineken.com/my
Heineken Thirst Line Up
Tisto
Blink
Phil K Lee
Plus Special Guests
Winner of Found @ Thirst DJ competition
Runner Up of Found @ Thirst DJ Competition
Ticket Prices & Outlets
Early Bird: RM88 (Very limited number of tickets available from 24 October to 6 November 2011)
Pre-Sale: RM108 (Heineken Members), RM118 (Non Members)*
At the Door: RM138 (Heineken Members), RM148 (Non Members)*
Heinekabana: RM4,000 (An exclusive private area that includes 20 entry passes with VIP fast-track access, three cartons of Heineken Beer and your own Personal Ambassador)
Outlets Online at www.airasiaredtix.com and at Rock Corner, Victoria Music Centre and Rip Curl outlets.
*Heineken Members price tickets can only be purchased at Rock Corner KLCC & Curve only.
So whos going to be there?? I might 
Our Daily Bread & Crumbs
Two reviews in one entry: lead us first into temptation at Our Daily Bread, a bakery-cafe where visitors to Publika Shopping Gallery can loaf around & devour doughy delights till kingdom come (or at least until the outlet closes at 10pm).
Butter gipfel (you say croissant, we say gipfel? blame the Swiss-German divide) & blueberry muffin (as marvelously moist on Earth as it might be in heaven).
Olive & fig ciabattas. Tasty enough to consume entirely on their own; forgive us our sins as we gobble them up at teatime.
Rye loaf with homemade kaya. Hallowed be this caramel-creamy coconut jam.
Moving on to another mall: Pavilion now has Crumbs lying on its food-court floor. This scone-&-yogurt kiosk marks the first overseas franchise of a Hong Kong-based business th! at opera tes eight branches in the Chinese city-state.
Love the thick, tangy yogurt here, topped with cinnamon-tinged crispy crumbs. Customers can choose from a wide range of extra toppings such as Maltesers, M&Ms, mochi & marshmallows.
Three types of scones are sold: raisin, chocolate & cheese, a steal for RM2.90 each. Fabulously fresh & beautifully buttery.
We end where we began, with a last look at Our Daily Bread. Amen.
Our Daily Bread,
Publika, Solaris Dutamas, Kuala Lumpur.
Crumbs,
Pavilion, Kuala Lumpur.
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