Flavours Of Chile, A Taste Of Chilean Fine Cuisine

Indulgence Restaurant & Living, Ipoh my RM790++ Qatrynka suite

God (or rather, everyone) knowsthat I needed a break. Oh wait, so does everyone else thats in the city right?

The traffic jam, the unpredictable weather (why does it have to rain every single day at 5pm??? As if after-work traffic aint bad enough as it is!), the datelines..it gets to us doesnt it?
The city can be exciting, but at the same it wears you out as well.

For my sanity, I travel out of KL at least once a month. Last month I was in Sg for Wine for Asia, and earlier this month I was transported back to the countryside as I traipsed through the sleepy town of Pekan and Sg Lembing in Kuantan.

Short respites like this helps in its little way to sooth my consistent high strung emotions.

My latest city-runway adventure was in this charming yet romantic Tudor colonial bungalow in Ipoh.

Indulgence Restaurantand Livingis no new kid on the block.
Julie Song (now, one cant mention Indulgence in the same breath and miss out Julie! :) ) started out with a simple cakes & coffee joint in May 1996 in Canning Gardens, which back then was probably one of the few commercial areas in Ipoh town. Julie obviously got a winning formula in place; as her cosy cafe expanded to 2 shoplots shortly after and then in Nov 2005 Indulgence Restaurant was born, serving Modern European cuisine to the simple, laid back citizens of sleepy Ipoh.
It was a gutsy move. But Julie Song is no wallflower.

But more on the restaurant & Julie later. Im kicking off my Ipoh stay-cation series of posts with a write-up of my luxurious yet cosy suite, Qatrynka, which is one of the 3 suites available in Indulgence Living.

Indulgence Living has only 7 bedrooms,each with a different theme and deco. Just like Julie, monotony is never a part of her life; or in Indulgence Restaurants menu and certainly not present in any of the space within the colonial mansion.

Every nook and cranny or available space is tastefully decorated with pretty knick-knacks or interestingmemorabilias which Julie has personally selected and allocated its little space in this colonial mansion.

My suite, Qatrynka, is of Rococo Architecture. Now, Im no architecture expert, and had to do a bit of research on this.

Rococoarchitecture is actually late version of theBaroque style, (also known as Modern Baroque) and is most often found in Germany, Austria, Eastern Europe, and Russia.
Just from these countries alone, I could more or less relate to the style and architecture, having watched enough movies from that era.

Features of Rococo Architecture include:

• Elaborate curves and scrolls
• Ornaments shaped like shells and plants
• Intricate patterns
• Delicate details
• Complex, asymmetrical shapes
• Light, pastel colors

!

Think heavy furniture, drapes, rich colours and opulence. I felt like a Queen when I swept in into my suite. I was almost tempted to wave my hand to signal a butler! Hahaha!

I would highly recommend that you watch the video below, as only then you would really be able to grasp and comprehend the ambiance and layout of the Qatrynka Suite, since still images lacked the ability to do it justice.

Nevertheless, heres picturesof the Qatrynka Suite!

Below: Soft French silk and satin drapes at the windows which are shielded from sunlight with blinds. Each individuals drapes are different.

A four-poster bed welcomed my tired physical & mental self, with inviting plush cushions & soft sheets.

The living area and the bedroom are separated with a beautiful lotus designed panel and a TV top, where coincidentally, the TV can be watched from the living room or from the bed, since it can be rotated 180 degrees on its stand.

Below: The beautiful lotus designed panel I mentioned earlier, viewed from the bed.

The plush, pretty chair beside it.

Bedside table and lamp, complete with an old fashioned clock.

Right opposite the foot of the bed another table with a lamp and 2full gilded framed mirrors on its wall became m! y workin g desk while I was in residence .

And this was my working chair. :)

Im particular about powerpoints in any hotel suite/room that Im in. The simple reason is that Im very mobile gadgets dependent, having a minimum of 2 mobile phones, a camera and a laptop that needs to be fully charged at any one time. The power plugs in this room are aplenty, 2 on each side of the bed and another 2 under the working desk.

Below: It may be a 1940s colonial mansion, but the electrical system/wiring are safe and modern!

A sliding door made with esthetic wooden panels opens into the ensuite.

With semi-polished porcelain striped floor and walls tiled with jet black tiles and gold dazzles, the four-legged tub inside coaxes ideas of seduction.

I find the standalone bathtub sexy..very sexy.

A hand-painted wall with gorgeous red flowers on a gold base breaks the monotony of dullness from the black and stripes.

Right opposite the bathtub a practical and large wardrobe stores the essentials; a pair of bath robes, towels, a safe deposit box, a hairdryer and so forth.

The ensuite bathroom is practical yet pretty. I love the spaciousness and having separated rooms for shower and the toilet area is a plus point in my books.

Ultra modern showering facilities too! Im a fan of these rain showers! . Needle ss to say, a heater system is in place of course.

The whole wash area are embossed with black tiles and rustic brown cut marble double wash basins sits against a full gilded framed mirror.

These antique lamps are amazing, adding a delicate charm and a splash of colour to the chic bathroom. Again, the potential monotony from the use of black tiles and minimalism concept are shaken up rather cleverly with subtle colourful ornaments like this.

Shower essentials are provided of course, just in case you reckon that this is not a full fledged hotel & Indulgence Living might cut some corners. Shampoo, bath gel, lotion, hand towels, bath towels, dental kits, soaps and etc are all there, just like any other accommodation establishment, and whatever provided are just as complete, if not more.

Stepping in, the modern barouqe Qatrynkasuite instantly envelopes you in its air of elegance and opulence.

Crimson casis cut velvet on brassy golf ground lined one side of the wall and an elegant plum George Smith 3 sitter sofa with lime washed walnut wood legs in lustrous silk damask from the Velvy Collections sits comfortably against a Mahogany timber frame beveled mirror.Chandeliers made from tree roots create a look of timeless age.

An Antoinette chair with plush silk taffeta cushion and colonial chairs with soft cushions from Designers Guild collectiongives a romantic touch. A gilted framed mirror hangs above the vintage Chinois cabinet which houses the mini bar. Designed carpets of captivating colours gives it a tota! l sophis tication of endless drama.

For a self-taught interior designer, Julie has certainly executed a fabulous job for Indulgence Living.
I will be sharing on the interior of the restaurant and the whole bungalow next but just from this suite alone, youll get an idea of Julies eclecticway of decorating.
She has managed to retain the modernBaroquestyle and feel but through a clever mix & match of furnishing, theQatrynkasuite oozes an air ofcontemporary grandeur versus the usual feel of stuffy and old fashioned normally associated with such styles.

Below: A personal warm welcome note from Julie.

Website: Indulgence Restaurant and Living, Ipoh

GPS:N04 35 37.50, E101 437.48

14, Jalan Raja Dihilir
30350 Ipoh Perak.

All pictures taken with:

Afternoon tea @ Lounge on the Park, Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur

For an indulgent and leisurely afternoon, one of my favorite things to do is to have afternoon tea. I've had a fair share of lousy versions this year (which I did not bother blogging about because it would be a waste of my time) but the afternoon tea which I had recently at Lounge on the Park, Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur was quite the contrary. In fact, I would rate this as one of the best afternoon teas I've had the pleasure of having in KL.

The afternoon tea here is available from 2.30pm to 6pm daily. There is two afternoon teas to choose from, The Royal English Afternoon Tea and Holger Deh Chocolate Afternoon Tea (RM78 per person).The sandwiches would be the same for both sets but different pastries will be served.

Both are very nice, but I think my preference would lie with the chocolate afternoon tea simply because the pastries are much more unique. If you like something more classic, then the English afternoon tea is for you.

The tea selection was quite extensive, hence I gave Hubby the task of selecting a tea for me -- green leaves, oolong leaves, black leaves, herbal infusion, white tea and wellness are just the categories of premium tea available! I had the Jing white peony (refreshing, sweet) and Hubby had the hand-smoked T Company lapsang souchong (full mouths with tarry finish).

The Royal English Afternoon Tea is served in a modern three tier

Two types of scones, four types of sandwiches and eight types of pastries.. real indulgence!

Overall, I enjoyed the selection in the Royal English afternoon tea very much. I started off with the fruit tartlet (somehow I was drawn to that first!) and found the pastry to be crumbly with a layer of custard and fresh fruits. The sandwiches were all competently prepared, our favorite being the smoked salmon with horseradish cream. Noteworthy is the bread, which is pillowy soft.

Fruit tartlet

Looks like a heart shape

For the Royal English set, the scones will be plain and raisin. Both are light and buttery, served with clotted cream, and homemade strawberry jam, orange jam and lemon curd. I found the clotted cream to be quite unusual since it was golden yellow instead of the pale yellow versions (Devonshire) I've eaten in the past. Turns out they use clotted cream from Australia which can be a different shade depending on the season it is produced.

I have to say Hubby's selection of Jing white peony tea for me was spot on. Loved it, perfect accompaniment for the sweets in the afternoon tea. We joked that Hubby's lapsang souchong tasted like a non-alcoholic version of whisky (tasted quite smoky!) -- he could drink and drink and not get drunk. :)

Orange madeleine

Dundee cake, a traditional Scottish fruit cake decorated with almonds. Excellent!

Lemon macaron -- my first time having macarons from MO, the texture is perfect and the filling is not too sweet and creamy.

Raspberry mille feuille is Hubby's favorite pastry from this set. Beautiful visually and tastes fab.

Cambridge burnt cream -- rich custard with a silky smooth texture. I like!

We also managed to try some of the pastry selections from the Chocolate Afternoon Tea, thanks to Chef Holger who brought some out for us. I love the chocolate puff pastry, so dainty yet sooooooooo delicious. And the hazelnut macaron is one of the best I've had in a while -- it reminded me of Ferrero Rocher when I ate it. Swoon-worthy :)

Chocolate puff pastry

Milk chocolate cremeux. Did I mention that chocolate is Chef Holger's specialty..... so rich and decadent.

Hazelnut macaron

Perfect texture

Mango compote with dark chocolate shooter

Soft music from the pianist sets the mood for a wonderful afternoon tea experience.Do make a reservation beforehand, as we almost couldn't get a table because the lounge was so busy that afternoon.

Lounge on the Park Interior

Full set of photos available to view here.

Price: RM78 per person. 1 set is sufficient for 2 persons to share.

Location: Lounge on the Park,Lobby Level, Mandarin Oriental Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 50088 Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2179 8883

GPS Coordinates: 3.15568, 101.7120

Website: http://www.mandarinoriental.com/kualalumpur