Quick Lunch: 4-minute rib eye steak

So, the other day, we got ourselves a 1.45kg O'Connor rib eye for roasting since one of Hubby's friend was visiting our home. The roast was marvellous and we enjoyed it very much. Since I felt 1.45kg was too much for 5 pax, I ended up cutting off a piece of beef (approx. 2.0 - 2.5cm thickness, 220g) to experiment cook for our lunch the following day.

The steak was cooked for 2 minutes on each side (total 4 mins), and then rested for 10 minutes, to a beautiful doneness of medium rare. Served it with some sauteed mushrooms and fresh cherry tomatoes. It was cooked to our preferred doneness but I still need to improve and try and get the exterior more "crusty" like the one we had at Ril's (Hubby likes it like that). Any tips on how I can achieve that?

A quick, satisfying lunch which took even less time to eat!

*Photo taken with iPhone4s.

Day 12: 1 May Beckys 30 Days, 30 Giveaways!

After a week-long hiatus, Beckys 30 Days, 30 Giveaways is back on again!

Just follow the steps stated in the visual below to participate in the giveaway, and you can stand a chance to win a buffet hi-tea at Melting Pot Cafe worth Rm100.00+, courtesy of Concorde Hotel Kuala Lumpur!

So, head over here: https://www.facebook.com/RebeccaSawBlog NOW!

Rolling Stones longevity marked with new line of drinks

We heard a lot about Coin Laundry and how this breakfast place serves a mean burger. When a recent burger craving struck, there was only one place to go.


Located in the suburb of Armadale, we fell in love with the immediate surroundings. Posh looking houses and leafy surroundings with the only noise and signs of people belonging to Coin Laundry. With a train station nearby, we wanted to call this street home except for the crazy price tags.


Almost exactly opposite of the surroundings, Coin Laundry was packed and a 10 minute wait suddenly grew to 20 minutes before we were seated. Throughout brunch / lunch, a steady stream of people were patiently waiting outside while others were chit chatting and digging into food / coffee.

As the name suggests, the venue takes place in a former laundromat and I guess the wall decor is put up there to remind us of the history of the place.

Something a little different, vietnamese iced coffee. What looked like and tasted a bit like condensed milk was not sickeningly sweet but rather toned down, perfect for people who want something really strong.

For those who want their us! ual cup, the cappuccino was decent too.

Much has been talked about this burger, well actually it was my cousin who sang praise about this and the Wife caught wind of it. So was it worth the wait and the singing? Pretty much. A nice juicy wagyu burger (seriously though, I can't tell the difference between wagyu and non wagyu in a burger) with beetroot relish amongst other things inside made for a brilliant lunch. Shoe string fries with a dosage of spiced salt completes the meal.

On a lighter note, well light on portion but not on palate is the manchego corn fritters. I was slightly disappointed at the carelessness of the kitchen who happened to brown the fritter beyond brown and conveniently flip it the other way around on the plate. The fritter was on the stodgy side and if not for the scattered corn niblets, you couldn't really tell. The rocket, parsley and guacamole lifts the dish up.

So what we have here is a beautiful surrounding, busy place, a long queue, a kick ass burger and an uncertain breakfast. Sounds like a mix bag but I think we will still be returning, sooner or later.

Address and contact details:

Verdict: 3.5 stars out of 5 stars. Another option out there for breakfast in Melbourne.

Steve Allen at Dish @ Dua Annexe, Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur

Four times to Dish and I reckon it's not the last visit.


I peeked back at my archives. Way back in 2009, Dish (Delicious Ingredients Steak House) blazed into the city's dining scene. At that time, it was the decadent bone marrow and caveman portions of steaks that got everyone's tongues wagging. Unfortunately I didn't warm up to the place even after a few visits as I could not fathom eating my steak well charred on the outside. Means too much carbon that will slowly kill me off.


Fast forward to 2012. KL's fickle dining crowd have moved on to shiny new places.Enter Steve Allen and the ball game changes for Dish.





Who is this Steve chap you must be asking?


Well, he is a friendly English bloke looking to explore our Asian shores. Most importantly, he bringswith him the experience of working with Gordon Ramsay. Most couch potatoes will know of Ramsay from channel surfing through Hell's Kitchen or even Masterchef USA. Ramsay may be loud and rude (it's all television people!) but he is a talented chef who groomed many young chefs such as Marcus Wareing, Jason Atherton, Steve and the list goes on.


Before Steve joined the Delicious Group, he was the head honcho in Ramsay's outpost in the prestigious Claridges Hotel. He is enjoying his stint here, exploring our local fare with gusto.


The other day he tried guava and next thing we know, it is on this week's lunch menu - a cool rendition with white chocolate ice cream that we slurp down to counteract these hot humid days.





For those unsure about Steve and his menu, we recommend an easy way to get acquainted with his food....try his lunch menu that is available daily including weekends.


Prices won't cripple your wallet but it's definitely way above that usual budget meal you have at the food court. For the quality of food you get, we reckon it is a good deal. Two courses are priced at RM65, while three courses (how can one ! miss des sert!) is at RM75. Both choices come with a cup of coffee or tea, and petit fours (marshmallow and chocolate truffle).


The lunch menu changes every fortnight. We sampled the current menu and love the mild tasting curried carrot soup with the crispy squid served on the side. The chargrilled mussels are perfectly cooked and not too rubbery with an apple and garlic broth that you wipe up with the toasted ciabatta bread. The chargrilled sirloin is a nice portion for lunch (too much would mean food coma!) that is topped with the lobster butter. A must is the triple cooked potato chips - crispy on the outside with a fluffy centre. Even the pan fried salmon fillet is beautifully cooked with a crispy skin and soft pink flesh. We end with a cooling guava soup and a toothsome almond financier (hot from the oven) with roasted pineapple and creamy mascarpone ice cream.


We had sampled the seared duck breast from the last lunch menu and loved the accompanying ginger carrots with braised duck leg broth. Such a comforting dish that had us all wishing there was more of that fortifying broth.





Once you are convinced, head towards here for the dinner menu. You start with eggplant fritters studded with black sesame s! eeds wit h a sour cream dip. They are good and even the eggplant hater loves them. We also love the decadent herb butter with bits of red pepper and herbs so be careful to not over indulge on bread. It is hard but more good things are coming.


For those seeking utter decadence, go for the ballotine of foie gras and smoked duck (RM46). The creamy melt-in-the-mouth foie gras is wrapped in smoked duck slices and served with the toasted brioche. Spiced pineapple on its side helps alleviate the richness of this dish.


For something way much lighter, go for the seared and marinated tuna (RM42). Shaped like a "D", the fish is paired with a piquant pickled radish, decadent crispy quail eggs and french beans. There is an Asian slant to this dish with its soy sauce and ginger flavours. Another light choice is the classic Italian vitello tonnata (RM36), thin slices of marinated veal topped with tuna mayonnaise and served with argula leaves and croutons.


My favourite is their signature sauteed scallops (RM48) as I've eaten this for three times. The curry powder dusted succulent scallops are served with a creamy cauliflower puree (mash without the carbs!) and crispy turkey bacon and almond crumbs. Thin apple slices and apple vinegar caramel sauce dotting its sides help cut through the rich taste.









My first introduction to the mains yielded one firm favourite, the salt baked cod (RM69). Encased in a salt dough crust embedded with lemon slices, the fish is juicy and succulent. It is paired with a red pepper and lemon sauce that is delicious. Eat each piece of the zucchini and peppers as they all have a beautiful natural sweetness.


Steak of course is a must. My first visit, I tried a tenderloin that was perfectly cooked with beautiful chargrilled marks and a juicy red centre. You get choices of different sauces, such as truffle beef jus lobster butter, their bernaise sauce and etc but I love eating my steak plain. In subsequent visits, we sampled smaller sizes for the lunch set that was equally good.


Depending on your mood, go for the sides (RM18 each) such as the creamy potato puree, triple cooked chips, truffled mac and cheese or my big favourite, the charred Brussels sprouts with chillies and anchovies (RM18). Love these vegetables that were so fragrant and delicious.







Last but not least...desserts that are so good.


I often find restaurants always end with rather ho-hum desserts but here, I find the endings to be spectacular to make me want to return again and again.


Hard to narrow down my favourite dessert as I love them all. There's the strawberry mousse, granita and jelly with olive oil ice cream sprinkled with black pepper (RM21). I like the light flavours of this combination that makes it easy to finish it by yourself with not much guilt. Equally less guilty is the pineapple carpaccio, coconut sorbet and tuille (RM21), a refreshing treat that reminds me of pina coladas in the sunshine beach.


For truly decadence, go for the cold chocolate fondant, poached mango and yoghurt sorbet (RM21). This is akin to a chocolate mousse with a creamy flowing centre that is topped with a crunchy nut biscuit. Poached mango cubes cut through the richness. Unfortunately this is overshadowed by the brilliant caramel chocolate delice, lime ice cream and raspberries (RM21). Voted the big favourite, the rich chocolate taste is wonderful paired with the tangy lime ice cream and the lime rind that dots the ruby red raspberries. A must for chocolate lovers!


Dish
Dua Annexe
213, Jalan Tu! n Razak< /span>
Kuala Lumpur


Tel: 03-2164 1286


(Pork Free. Open for lunch from 12-3pm and for dinner. For the full set of pictures, see the Flickr set. For weekly updates and the full menu details, see this link to Dish's website. )


*Disclaimer: Most meals were paid by the reviewer except for one blogger tasting session.

Sakura Kristal @ Taman melawati

Sakura Kristal serves nice Malaysian palatethatall communities could sit down and eat together.

It is airy with good natural ventilation and interesting roof structure.

Ming Chicken Fried RiceIndonesian Fried Rice
Fried Wantans< span>Beef steakChicken Panini

Shepherd'spie

Sakura KristalCafe & Restaurant

301, Jalan Bandar 11,

Taman Melawati,

53100 Kuala Lumpur.

03-4108-5897

GPS : 3.210013,101.746552

Chrysanthemum Drink

Chrysanthemum Drink

These past few days, our weather is very hot and humid.

If you go outside from your house, you sure will be sweating

even it is just for 5 minutes.

This morning, I went to market to buy vegetables and meat to cook for dinner,

but alas, my husband told me not to cook because he wanted me

to accompany him to go down town to buy shirt and sport shoe.

Told him "What am I going to do with all these vegetables and meat?".

His simple reply "Cook another day". I said ok but I still need to boil this

Chrysanthemum Drink since the weather is so hot...

need it to cool down our body.

Today is Labour Day and wishing everyone happy holiday.

50g of Dried Chrysanthemum

with a few pieces of Kum Chou (in Cantonese...later to find English word).

100g of Sugar Cane.

5,000 ml of Water.

Wash the Dried Chrysanthemum and Kum Chou thoroughly and

put into the pot with 5,000 ml of Water.

Boil at high fire for 20 minutes.

Then, lower down the fire to medium and boil another 25 minutes.

After total 45 minutes, turn off the fire.

(Note : Do not boil too long because the drink will be bitter)

Strain the Chrysanthemum with a colander.

Discard the Chrysanthemum.

Leave the Chrysanthemum Drink to cool at one side.

This Chrysanthemum Drink is not s! weet at all and if you

prefer it to be sweet, then by all means, put more sugar.

This drink is good for our body, easy to boil and lastly, cheap also.

Kuantan Food Nasi Lemak Zaman, Ho Yin Curry Mee and the journey in the Volvo XC60

In my last post I wrote of my starting journey from KL, and my quick breakfast of McDonalds Chicken Muffin. The XC60 was nice and the roomy bootspace was much appreciated. Volvo Malaysia has selected this model for me when I said I was driving down to Terengganu; saying it was suitable for long distance rides and of course, plenty of boot space.

However, as the 5 hours journey progressed I started to wonder if the Volvo XC60 was really an ideal choice. Saying that the suspension is stiff was putting it mildly. I literally felt every bump, rock and undulationon the road for a good 3 hours. I comtemplated between taking more breaks to relax and sooth my headache; or just brave the long drive ahead and get to Tanjong Jara as soon as possible.

Fortunately the handling of the vehicle itself wasnt a problem. Here the Volvo famous safety features came in useful. I switched to Auto Cruise mode, setting it between 80-100km/h and full possible distance between my XC60 and the front vehicle. Keeping my hands on the steering, I sat back and let the XC60 took over the driving.

Below: Speed set at 82km/hr (yes, was going slow as the highway to Terengganu is pretty busy with lorries and trucks), FULL distance allowed between the front vehicle and myself.
Note: Distance is the long stretch of bars on the RIGHT of the (82) .

The Auto Cruise mode basically drives the vehicle for you. Naturally the driver (myself in this case) still has to steer the direction and keep an eye on the road. However, you can have both your feet off the accelerator and brakes, thus providing you some respite from the act of driving.

And yes, you read right. You can have your feet off the BRAKES. The Auto Cruise and Collision Warning with Full Brake and Pedestrian Detection mode detects objects front of the vehicle and slows down and brakes the vehicle at a safe distance.

However, you do have to start the acceleration after the XC60 has come to a standstill as the Auto Cruise mode goes off the moment the brakes are applied.

Below: The brackets () around the speed number tells you that the auto cruise is off.

So if youre hoping that the XC60 to auto-pilot you to your destination, its not possible for now!

As expected of a foodie, I took the opportunity to explore a few known food stops along the journey. Since I wasnt familiar with the area and there wasnt much time to begin with, I decided on 2 food outlets; both famous, and coincidentally one Malay and a! nother C hinese.

Hoi Yin Curry Mee.

This little shop is just along Jalan Teluk Cempedak, a short walk from the beach. Their curry mee is the famous dish, but they do serve mee kicap (dry noodles in soy sauce) and noodles in clear soup. Being here for the first time, I tried the Curry Mee of course.

The shop is small, but just like an other popular shops, when space inside the shop is insufficient, just take over the pavement outside.

It is also packed due to the fact that this place is actually halal. Exploring the insides, I watched the 3 ladies at work.

This is a basic bowl, with your choice of noodles, fish cakes, steamed chicken, beancurd puffs, fish ball and FRESH BLOODY cockles! Prices are according to the sizes of Jambo(RM4.20), Besar(RM3.50)and Kecil(RM3.20).

Mine was the Jambo, RM4.20 and worth every cent.

2 choices of chilli were placed on the table. One is watery and tangy while the other is thicker, but both has the chilli oompph and does a good job of elevating the taste of the curry mee.

The soup? Wonderfully creamy and balanced in both spiciness and saltiness.
Thres no reason to worry though, as it wasnt cloying but just milky enough to satisfy. Though I hate yellow noodles because of the associated alkaline taste, the mee here was devoid of such unpleasantness.

We washed it all down with freshly boiled barley. Business is brisk and I was lucky that I didnt have to wait too long for my order as it was a Monday morning.

Next was the famousNasi Lemak Zaman.

I have h! eard so much of it during my previous Kuantan trip with Firefly. Back then our schedule was way packed and we didnt manage to visit Zaman Restaurant.
Since I was passing through Kuantan to Tg Jara Resort, I made sure I made a stop here.

Since I have only heard of the Nasi Lemak, I was surprised to see the variety of other food that were available as well.

The people here were friendly and more than happy to demonstrate their roti canai acrobatic skills for the camera.

The roti canai was just as popular as the nasi lemak. It looked really good actually, crispy around the edge and served flooded with thick dhal and curry.
But I refused to be diverted from my initial plan thus I dived straight for the nasi lemak. After hearing so much about the long queues and wait, I was a bit baffled to see no queue nor any wait required as plenty of nasi lemak packets were placed on the tables plus the restaurant was half empty.

Anyhow, it was about 11am then and I guess I should count myself lucky that the nasi lemak is still available.

When I reach for a packet, it felt warm in my hands. Wow, even at 11am there were fresh packs which were still warm. Like a little delighted kid, I opened one, grabbed my spoon and dug in.

It was GOOD! The banana leaf did really impart a lovely fragrance to the rice, which incidently was cooked with a good balance of coconut milk and salt. Some may find the sambal a bit salty, which I did, but overall it was certainly a tasty packet of nasi lemak!

For RM2.00, it may be expensive for Kuantan standards but I thought it was fine for the portion and the lovely sambal. Salty spicy versus the sweet spicy ones we get in KL, my preferance goes to this one.

The Volvo XC60, T5:
Selling price without insurance : RM300,150.00
Standard 3 year warranty and 3 years complimentary Volvo-On-Call.

Hoi Yin Curry Mee
31, Jalan Teluk Cempedak, 25050 Kuantan
Tel: +609-567 3871
Operating hours: 7.00 am to lunch or till sold out.
GPS: N: 03 48 44.8 E: 103 22 14.9

Restoran Zaman
Lot 1-3811, KM14 Jalan Gambang
26070 Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia.
Tel: (+609) 538 1253
Business Hours: 6:00a.m. 2:00p.m.
GPS: N: 03 45.738 E: 103 12.820

Other Kuantan delicaci! es to tr y:
Murtabak Mengkasar at Pekan, Kuantan
Pudding Diraja a local Kuantan specialty