Corus Hotel, Kuala Lumpur Christmas Food Preview

I stepped into Corus Hotel for the first time in my life last week. A gigantic Christmas tree greeted me at the lobby, its pretty decorations sparkling merrily just as cheery Christmas wishes greeted us as we stepped intoDondang Sayang Coffee House for theirChristmas Food Preview Dinner.

Below: The Christmas tree was towering impressivelyat about 2 storeys high!

More Christmas-sy touches dotted the buffet spread, and a whimsical cheer came over me. Its hard not to feel your spirits lifted from all the festive touches all around.

These cookies were really good, according to my colleagues. Im not a fan of cookies hence I avoided eating any but I have to admit that the gingerbread man ones are just too cute!

The snow house. Guess what is the snow made of? Cotton wool!

!

Ok, enough about Christmas decor.

Corus Hotels White Christmas Eve Party (24 Dec),starts at RM100++ (Adult) /RM50 ++ (Child) and includes the regularscrumptious spread of turkey and trimmings, roast lamb and of course, not forgetting the traditional Christmas log cake, stollen, mince pies and fruit cake.

LAMB.

Carving Corner -Roasted Turkey withCranberry Sauce.

A special mention should be made for the unconventional Oriental turkey stuffing. It was the part of the Christmas preview session that I enjoyed the most. The soft glutinous rice stuffing with spices and raisins reminded us all of bakchang- Chinese glutinous rice dumplings.

The Christmas buffet comes with thequintessential array of appetisers, salads, soups and desserts.

Salad -Chicken Pasta Salad with Gruyere.

Shrimp and Tomato Remolded.

Soup -Cream of Clam Chowder Soup.

Other mains, besides the turkey and lamb are (but not limited to)Deep Fried Butter Prawns and Salmon.

Desserts -Christmas log cake,Christmas Cookies, Stollen, Mince Pies, Christmas Fruit Cake,Walnut pie.

Chocolates for the finale of the meal.

I didnt manage to sample everything this time as it was a preview session where certain dishes were highlighted and served to us. In general, I liked some and thought others could have been better. Due feedback was given to the chef of course.

Both my colleague loved the cupcakes though. Many thanks to Santa and Kelly for their generosity! :)

Tel:(603)2161-8888
Fax:(603)2161-2393
Toll-Free:1-800-88-0888

Address:
Jalan Ampang,
50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
G.P.O. Box 22395.

Other than the Christmas Eve party, other options are:

Christmas Hi Tea (25 Dec)
RM68++ (Adult)
RM38++ (Child)

New Years Eve Salsa Night Party (31 Dec)
RM120++ (Adult)
RM60++ (Child)

New Year Hi-Tea
RM68++ (Adult)
RM38++ (Child)

Maybank (Amex) and HSBC (Visa or Master) credit card holders receives 20% off for the above events/buffets.

Cheesecakes and more @ The Cheesecake Factory, Summerlin Las Vegas

A month ago I was back in Vegas for the SEMA Convention where I also spent 4 days with my Cousin's Family who were living there. For my first Dinner my Niece took me to The Cheesecake Factory a very famous chain that most would know but one I've never visited despite my frequent visits to the US.





It was a weekday but the restaurant was extremely packed and we had to wait another 20 minutes despite making a reservation.

White and Pumpernickel Bread

We were served combination of White and Pumpernickel Bread. I really liked the Pumpernickel Bread which was a little sweet and warm.


Fried Calamari

This was really good. The batter was really light and the Calamari was very tender.


Factory Famous Meatloaf

This was my main course and ! the Meat loaf was really moist and tender. It had a texture that was almost like spam. The Onion Brown Gravy was a little on the sweet side but it went well with the saltiness of the Meatloaf.


Pork Chops

This was Brandon's main course. The Pork Chop was quite moist and had a nice charred exterior.


Bang-Bang Chicken and Shrimp

This was Phoebe's Entree. The creamy sauce tasted similar to Butter Chicken. It was definitely a very rich dish.


Seafood Pasta:

This was Florence's order. The Pasta was Al Dente and the Seafood was cooked just right. My favorite of the night.


The Original Cheesecake

I liked the texture of the Cheesecake which was really fluffy and creamy. It was a little sweet for my taste.


Red Velvet Cheese Cake

Like the Original Cheesecake I preferred it to be less sweet. The texture however was really good.


The Cheesecake Factory not only offers a wide variety of Cheesecakes but its menu is also extensive offering something for everyone. Service was attentive and friendly and the food came out fast.


Food: 3.5/5
Service: 4.5/5
Ambiance: 4.5/5
Price: $$$ (Approximately USD $30 per person)


Contact Information
Address: 750 S Rampart Blvd Las Vegas, NV 89145
Tel: +1 (702) 951-3800
Web: www.thecheesecakefactory.com
Map:

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Acme Bar & Coffee

Acme @ The Troika: Round Four. Earlier entries: December 2, December 5 & December 7.

Lifting off with leafy loveliness: Acme's "Dunkin' Salad" is a simple low-carb substitute for bread with olive oil. This dynamic duo of honey romaine with a lemony dressing whets the appetite without stuffing the stomach. But no double-dipping, please!

Our favorite recipe at Acme so far is the grilled watermelon salad, thanks to titanic chunks of tender poached crab flesh, the sweet umami kick of mirin soy mayo sauce & the nutty crunch of toasted almonds. If we could order only one thing here, this is it.

Deep-fried cheese raclette, wine-poached pears & green apples. Another fun creation, with the juicy crispness of the fruits mingling well with the creaminess of the salty cheese.

A tale of two soups: black & white onion ones, bridged with a cheese stick. Visually intriguing; both onion-based, but they taste worlds apart _ the beefy black is the robust French version with caramelized onions, while the white evokes a milky Irish recipe.

Mushroom soup of morels, rice wine, ginger & man tao pua croutons. Could mushroom soup be richer or more luscious? One of the most satisfying ones we've had this year.

Spaghetti al caccio e pepe, the classic Roman concoction with parmesan & cracked black pepper. Ideal if you're seeking pasta stripped down to the basics, but it might lack the wow factor for customers desiring something more complex.

For an East-meets-West change from sea bass & cod fish, order the conveniently bone-free, massively meaty roasted stingray _ "ikan pari" given the Italian treatment with artichokes, capers, confit lemons & butter.

Succulent, slow-cooked smoked duck rendang, partnered with fragrant barley-laced nasi lemak & string beans. Near-perfect: we'd love a fully loaded plate of this with egg & anchovies.

Tangled up in tangy tropical notes: pineapple & coconut share the spotlight in a Pina Colada cake. Yes, we like Pina Coladas & getting caught in the rain (unless it causes traffic crawls).

Crunch time: Acme could have made this meringue plain & boring, but lacing it with raspberries proves that nothing half-baked ever comes out of the kitchen.

Belvedere vodka with Fever Tree mixer, alongside an Aperol-sparkling wine cocktail.

Dom Clos du Caillou Bouquet de Garriques, Cotes du Rhone.

Acme's upper-level loft is perfect for private functions, less boisterous than the outlet's main hall.

Acme Bar & Coffee,

ABC @ The Troika, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2162-2288