RT Pastry House, Danau Business Centre, Taman Danau Desa, Kuala Lumpur

One of the best cakes we ate last year was not a fancy cake with elaborate fondant decorations but a good ol' classic swiss roll from RT Pastry House. The taro swiss roll was soft and fluffy, and the cream filling was pretty generous and nice. What made it even more unique was a jelly-like taro filling next to the cream. We have tried looking for this swiss roll several times at their Pavilion KL outlet located in Tokyo Street, however, they only seem to stock chocolate, green tea and chicken floss swiss rolls and Hokkaido cakes. Hope they will stock this flavour there since Pavilion KL is most convenient for us.


When I was a child, I loved eating this pandan layer cake. The version here is excellent, all the cakes here seem to have a pillowy soft texture to them.


The Europe cheese cake is not too dense, creamy with a biscuit base and a thin gelatin layer on type. It's not the super rich type that makes you jelak (feel full/sick) after eating 1 piece.


!


Display of cakes, the decorative birthday kind

Other than the cakes, we have also sampled some of their breads and also egg tarts. Baby C is a big fan of their egg tart. I usually like the crumbly pastry type but RT Pastry's one has quite a buttery and loose pastry, and the filling is yummy too.

Gone in 30 seconds... well almost..


We love freshly baked bread, and the walnut and raisin bread is really good. Their bread are baked fresh daily and without preservatives.. but since it's so good, we have no problems in finishing it in one sitting :)


Note: RT Pastry House has branches in Subang Jaya, Puchong, Klang, Serdang and Pavilion KL. Click here for full addresses.

Location : 7-0-7, Jalan 3/109F, Danau Business Centre, Taman Danau Desa, 58100 KL.

Tel : 03-7981 9106

GPS Coordinates:3.100235, 101.686943

Steamed Sesame Nian Gao

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So CNY is over and you've given away RM2000 in ang paos (but your kids have gotten back more than that amount), spent thousands on CNY food, flowers, decorations, fireworks and firecrackers, new clothes, new brooms, pots and pans, new TV even because you can't loose to your friend's new 60" (or whatever, I have no idea what's out there now) flat screen. You've forked out another thousand ringgit on the unicorn troupe to come eat lettuce and mandarin oranges from your garage roof to ensure another good year for the family (so you really think happiness and prosperity can be bought). You've met old friends you meet once a year and you've been updated on where they travelled to last year and how well their kids are doing. You've eaten that obligatory dinner with relatives you can't stand (thank God it's once a year) and taken family photos that you'll never get to see. You've alsogained 5 kgs on top of the 2 kgs you gained at Christmas.And of course you have leftover nian gao, sticky rice cake.

Tell you what.Instead of frying your nian gao in egg, try Chef Tay of Hyatt Kinabalu's simple way of coating the nian gao with toasted sesame seeds and steaming it for a minute, just enough to soften the nian gao. It's yum with Chinese tea.

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Nian gaocan keep for a couple of days without refrigeration but they start to go bad (they go moldy and! can tas te sour even if not moldy) about 5 days after they are steamed so keep any uneatennian gaoin the fridge. Better still, eat the nian gao asap.

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1. Cut into thin slices.

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2. Toast the sesame seeds in a pan. It's faster and browning is more even.

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3. If the nian gao is still soft and sticky, the sesame seeds will stick easily. If the nian gao has gone hard, steam it for under 1 minute just to wet the surface for sticking. Steam too long and thenian gao will be hard to handle.

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4. Steam the sesame-coated nian gao for a couple of minutes, depending on how hard it is and how soft you want it.


Sampling the cuisine at Resorts World Sentosa


Japanese Food @ Sugimoto, Desa Sri Hartamas

Sugimoto has been serving decent Japanese Food for many years catering mainly to Japanese Expats and Japanese Foodies. It was also one of my favorite restaurant till bigger Japanese Restaurants like Rakuzen sprung up. After many years we decide to give Sugimoto a visit again.


Crispy Salmon Salad
Salmon Skin Salad
This was very good. I loved the contrast in texture between the greens, salmon meat, crispy salmon skin and Pine Nuts. The dressing was also very well balanced it wasn't too sweet or sour.


Braised Beef Tongue
Braised Beef Tongue
The Beef Tongue was braised in a Demi-Glace Sauce that contained carrots, potatoes and shallots. Some of the Tongue was tender and others were a little over-cooked. The meaty flavor of the Demi-Glace complemented the Tongue really well.


Salmon Platter
Salmon Platter
Our Salmon Platter came with a Salmon Maki, Salmon Sushi and Salmon Sashimi. The Salmon was very fresh and had quite a bit of marbling which gave it a nice flavor and texture.


Chicken Teriyaki Set
Chicken Teriyaki Set
The Chicken was! tender and the skin was grilled crispy. The Sauce wasn't too sweet just the way we liked it.


Salmon Kichi Nabe
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The Kimchi Nabe was quite good. The sweet Miso Soup was rich and went well with the spicy flavor of the Kimchi.


The food in Sugimoto is still quite good with menu items such as Braised Beef Tongue and other Japanese Dishes that are not found in more popular Japanese Restaurants like Rakuzen.


Food: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Ambiance: 3/5
Price: $$$ (Approximately USD $20 per person)

Contact Information
Address: 36-1 Jalan 27/70a, 50480 Kuala Lumpur, Sri Hartamas, Malaysia
Tel: +603-2300 1102

Winery Steps, Castello della Sala

Winery Steps, Castello della Sala

A day late with this Sunday Snapshot post; but I have an excuse I have spent the last week in Italy. It seems an age ago now, but in reality it was just over a week that our party rolled up at the Castello della Sala winery in Orvieto. Its new and gleaming, all shiny stainless steel, designer lights and clean, crisp lines. But its a working winery not a batchelor pad. We had a single bottle tasting here but, I expect not the best the estate produces. It was the shadows from this metal stair that attracted my eye. It seems to me to be better in black and white

Winery Steps, Castello della Sala

Spittoon.biz - A UK Wine Blog - We Spit... So You Can Swallow



ASIAN AUTO AmBank Fuel Efficiency Awards Your choice of a fuel efficient vehicle is?

ASIAN AUTO AmBank Fuel Efficiency Awards 2011 Winners List

Pic 1

I attended this dinner just a night before my Honda Insight media trip, and it was timely indeed since both correlates fuel efficiency and cost savings.

Naturally after 2 events similarly themed events, Im somewhat better educated when it comes to fuel savings. Driving habits aside, the make of the vehicle/engine does play a role.
Im personally excited about hybrids now, thanks to Honda for the insightful trip but no fret if hybrids are not your thing, heres a list of four-wheels that are kind to your wallet, the environment & stylish to boot! xd

NO

CATEGORY

WINNER

1Compact City Cars
  • Suzuki Alto
  • Hyundai I25 Kappa (NEW)
  • Perodua Myvi 1.3 (NEW)
  • 5.0L/100km
    6.1L/100km
    6.2L/100km2Compact Premium Cars
  • Audi A1 TFSI
  • Volkswagen Golf 1.4 TSIDSG
  • Citroen C4 1.6 Turbo 6-Speed Auto (NEW)
  • 5.6L/100km
    6.3L/100km
    6.4L/100km3Small Family Cars
  • Proton Saga 1.3 Manual
  • Honda City
  • Nissan Latio 1.6 Hatchback
  • 6.0L/100km
    6.1L/100km
    6.3L/100km4Small Premium Family Cars
  • VW Polo TSI
  • Ford Focus Hatchback 2L Diesel
  • Mazda3 1.6
  • 5.7L/100km
    5.8L/100km
    6.7L/100km5.Luxury Family Cars
  • Toyota! Altis 1 .8L 7-Speed
  • Volkswagen Jetta 1.4 TSI (NEW)
  • Proton Inspira 2L
  • 5.5L/100km
    6.0L/100km
    6.2L/100km6Premium Family Cars
  • VW Passat Sedan 1.8 TSI (NEW)
  • Ford Mondeo 2L EcoBoost (NEW)
  • Volvo S40 2.0 Powershift 6-Speed
  • 7.0L/100km
    7.7L/100km
    7.8L/100km7Executive Cars
  • Mercedes C-Class 200 CGI
  • Volvo S60 1.6 Turbo T4 (NEW)
  • Audi A4 1.8T
  • 7.2L/100km
    7.3L/100km
    7.4L/100km8Premium Executive Cars
  • BMW 520 Diesel (NEW)
  • Mercedes E-Class E200K CGI (NEW)
  • Jaguar XF 3L Diesel (NEW)
  • 5.2L/100km
    5.6L/100km
    6.8L/100km9Super Saloons
  • Jaguar XJL Diesel (NEW)
  • Lexus LS460
  • Audi A8 3L TFSI Quattro (NEW)
  • 7.0L/100km
    9.0L/100km
    9.3L/100km10Performance Coupe Cars
  • Volkswagen Scirrocco TFSi
  • Audi A5 2L TFSI Quattro (NEW)
  • Renault Megane R250 Cup
  • 6.3L/100km
    7.5L/100km
    8.4L/100km11Performance Hot Hatch
  • Mini Cooper S JCW
  • Volkswagen Golf GTi Mk6
  • Mazda3 Turbo MPS
  • 6.9L/100km
    7.4L/100km
    9.9L/100km12Pickup Trucks
  • Isuzu D-Max Hi-DEF 2.5 44 Manual
  • Ford Ranger TDCI XLT 44 Manual
  • Nissan Navara 44 Manual
  • 7.6L/100km
    7.7L/100km
    8.2L/100km13Compact MPVs
  • Honda Freed 1.5L (NEW)
  • Volkswagen Cross Touran 1.4L TSI (NEW)
  • Toyota Avanza 1.5L
  • 6.1L/100km
    7.0L/100km
    7.1L/100km14Luxury MPVs
  • Ford S-Max Ecoboost 2L (NEW)
  • Mercedes R-Class R280 (NEW)
  • Hyundai Starex Diesel (NEW)
  • 8.1L/100km
    8.9L/100km
    9.6L/100km15Compact SUVs
  • Range Rover Evoque 2.2L Diesel (NEW)
  • Mitsubishi ASX 2L (NEW)
  • SsangYong Actyon Sports 2L Diesel (NEW)
  • 5.7L/100km
    7.6L/100km
    8.0L/100km16Luxury SUVs
  • Lexus RX Hybri! d
  • Volvo XC90 D5 Diesel
  • Mitsubishi Pajero Exceed 3.5L
  • 6.3L/100km
    8.5L/100km
    8.6L/100km17Premium SUVs
  • Mitsubishi Pajero Sport VGT 2.5L Diesel (NEW)
  • Hyundai Santa Fe 2.2L Diesel (NEW)
  • Toyota Fortuner 2.7L: Diesel (NEW)
  • 6.7L/100km
    7.2L/100km
    8.3L/100km18Hybrids
  • Lexus CT200h (NEW)
  • Toyota Prius 3rd Generation
  • Honda Insight Hybrid
  • 3.8L/100km
    3.9L/100km
    4.6L/100km

    The Volkwagen range of vehicles swept most awards that night. Amazing. ..

    Pic 2

    Kudos to our own Malaysian brand, Perodua. The Myvi has got to be our Malaysian all-time favourite car!

    Pic 3

    So which from the above would be your choice if youre seeking a fuel efficient vehicle? :dd
    Mine has to be a powerful manual one for sure!


    Petite Millie & Artisan Roast

    Refusing to rest on his laurels, Millesime's Max Chin has opened Petite Millie, a 1 Utama brasserie to complement his fine-dining venue in Solaris Dutamas.

    Various types of "tarte flambee" are among the attractions _ crisp French-style pizzas topped with everything from Iberian air-dried beef to hand-harvested mushrooms. We loved the one loaded with succulent crab meat, avocado, creme fraiche, thyme-lemon oil & chives (RM19.50+).

    Quebec's only export isn't Celine Dion; the Canadian province's fast food specialty is "poutine" _ sauce-smothered fries. These chunky, piping-hot potato strips can be enjoyed with egg mollet, ratatouille & truffle oil (RM20.50++) _ comfort food inspired by Daniel Boulud.

    Max isn't manning the kitchen at this casual eatery, but expect his influence to infuse its recipes, which explains the use of some of his favorite ingredients _ beetroot & haloumi cheese _ in this light salad tossed with mizuna leaves & champagne vinegar (RM18.50+).
    Wine is available by the glass at prices far lower than Millesime's.

    Not far from Petite Millie, another business has launched a new branch; in Artisan Roast's case, it closed its Ampang alfresco cafe & moved to Taman Tun Dr Ismail, where business is bustling on a street of popular pubs.
    Entry on Artisan Roast @ Ampang: March 6, 2011.

    Open daily (through midnight on Fridays & Saturdays), this is a cheerful hangout for friends to chomp on cheesecake, a family recipe that's sumptuously creamy, enriched with a sticky-sweet, caramel-like layer of chocolate.

    Coffee is made more marvelous with chocolate to create an iced mocha.

    Red espresso, essentially flavorsome Rooibos tea ! brewed i n a coffeemaker.

    What's next for Artisan Roast: Savory snacks & breakfast platters.

    What's next for Petite Millie: Another branch, at Penang's Gurney Paragon.

    Petite Millie @ 1 Utama,
    G146, Ground Floor (near Soup Restaurant, Putien & L Table), 1 Utama Shopping Center.
    Tel: 03-7732-0395

    Artisan Roast @ TTDI,
    4, Lorong Rahim Kajai 14, Taman Tun Dr Ismail.

    Celebrity cook-off show attracts record-breaking audience for US food channel

    NEW YORK, Feb 6 A record number of viewers tuned into the Food Network last month, in large part due to a new celebrity cook-off show hosted by food TV personalities Rachael Ray and Guy Fieri.

    The five-week run of Rachael vs Guy Celebrity Cook-Off helped deliver the highest-rated month in Food Network history in the US. AFP pic
    The series premiere of Rachael vs Guy Celebrity Cook-Off contributed to a network average of 1.4 million viewers to the cable channel, up 25 per cent from the same period last year, to make January the highest-rated, most-watched month on the Food Network in the US.

    The show starred lesser-known and forgotten celebrities such as former teen idol Aaron Carter, actor Lou Diamond Phillips, and rapper Coolio, and challenged celebrity teams to cooking throwdowns in the name of charity.

    Since its debut on New Years Day, the series averaged 1.3 impressions or views among adults aged 25 to 54 over its five-week run.

    Tapping into celebrity wattage in varying degrees of fame is a popular strategy for food shows to attract coveted ratings.

    VH1s Famous Food also generated buzz when it debuted last year for putting together a motley crew of D-list celebrities and personalities together under the guise of opening a restaurant.

    The roster included reality TV star Heidi Montag of The Hills, Danielle Staub of The Real Housewives of New Jersey and Ashley Dupr, the former call girl at the centre of a prostitution scandal that brought about the downfall of former New York governor Eliot Spitzer. Relaxnews

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