Monday, February 29, 2016

Seremban Beef Noodles - Quinn Restaurant

Last week, we had to go down to Seremban to run some errands... decided to drop by Quinn to have their beef noodles. Seremban beef noodles is by far my favorite version - we visited Quinn as it is air-conditioned and more convenient for parking. There are two other outlets, one in Seremban wet market and another in town called King's (at Jalan Dr Krishnan). To read more about the history of Seremban beef noodles, you can click here.

Over here, they use homemade lou shi fun (rat tail noodles) - they are made daily and do not contain any preservatives. The noodles are then topped with a thick, spiced gravy which is made by braising beef stock for hours as well as peanuts, sesame seed and spring onions. If I am not mistaken, a bowl of beef noodles here cost RM8 each. I had the one with mixed beef parts ie tripe, lean meat and another one that tastes like jerky. Hubby opted for beef balls only. I like the spicy chilli sauce that comes with each bowl of noodle. The soup is also delicious, as it is boiled for hours with beef and preserved salted vegetable (kiam chai).


*Update 25/3/2018: Price per bowl is RM9.50.




Fresh coconut to cool down on this hot day



They also do an awesome soup version, read more here.


To read more about what Seremban has to offer, click here.


Service: Good.

Price: Total bill RM24 (including 1 fresh coconut + 1 soya bean drink)

Location: Quinn Restaurant, 108 Jalan Toman 6, Kemayan Square, 70200 Seremban, Negeri Sembilan. (near KPJ Seremban Specialist Hospital)

GPS Coordinates: 2.719757, 101.923074

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Saturday, February 27, 2016

Ishin Japanese Dining, KL

Ishin Japanese Dining is a fine dining restaurant serving authentic Japanese cuisine, using the finest quality ingredients air-flown directly from Tsukiji Market, Tokyo, Japan. Previously, we lunched here at the restaurant with some friends and had a great experience. This time, we were invited back by the restaurant to sample their a la carte menu.

Upon arrival, you will be given an Ipad / mi Pad tablet to browse through their a la carte menu and select your dishes from a wide selection. I love the idea of browsing through an electronic menu, as each dish comes with an enticing photograph which makes dish selection all the more exciting. For those seeking a refined dining experience, you can also check out the Kaiseki menus on offer; these six to twelve multi-course menus will reflect the changing seasons of Japan.

From the a la carte menu, you can choose from sashimi, sushi, maki sushi, teppanyaki, Ishin's specialty dishes and many more.  To start, we had the Sashimi Moriawase (RM80), which features chef's selection of 5 types of sashimi (3 pieces of each type). The sashimi was beautifully arranged on a bed of ice. Love the fresh, thick slices of tuna, salmon, kampachi, butterfish and scallops. 






We also tried one of the maki sushi, the dragon roll (RM42), a roll featuring grilled unagi wrapped with avocado. A delicious combination of creamy avocado with sweet, sticky grilled unagi. Yummy indeed!





The mini chawanmushi (RM22) were attractively presented in individual egg shells. The chawanmushi (steamed egg) was really smooth and was topped with 3 different types of topping - uni (sea urchin), tobikko and caviar. This is definitely worth trying.






The highlight of our meal here was the Wagyu Stone Grill. This is one of the restaurant's specialty dishes. They offer either Matsuzaka (RM488 per 100g) or Kagoshima Wagyu (RM250 per 100g) beef here . We had the Kagoshima beef, which had fantastic marbling. It is served in thick slices and you can either grill it yourself on the hot stone, or one of the friendly staff can cook it for you. Wow, the beef was really buttery and melt-in-the-mouth tender. So good! Definitely a must-have for beef lovers.







Kagoshima prefecture is home to one of the largest livestock industries in Japan. A5 represents the highest level of Japanese Wagyu beef based on overall quality score rated on beef marbling, fat colour, beef colour , texture and firmness.


Cooking Kagoshima A5 Wagyu Beef (watch in full size here)

The staff also recommended that we try the teppanyaki dishes - there is salmon, oyster, Hokkaido scallop, sliced beef, lobster, lamb and tiger prawn teppanyaki to choose from. We had the tiger prawn teppanyaki (RM48) - two sizeable, plump prawns were served along with some mixed vegetables. 



For dessert, we had green tea ice cream with red bean (RM17) as well as ice cream pancake (RM19) which came with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, sliced strawberries and red bean. A sweet end to a delicious meal!




Opening times: Lunch (12.00pm-3.00pm), Dinner (6.00pm - 1.00am)

Service: Good.

Location: Ishin Japanese Dining Restaurant, No. 202, Persiaran Klang, Batu 3 3/4, Off Jalan Kelang Lama, 58000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Tel : +60 3 7980 8228

GPS Coordinates: 3.103021, 101.677952

Website: http://ishin.my/


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Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Spa Village Tanjong Jara, Malaysia

Not to be missed at Tanjong Jara Resort is a visit to their award-winning Spa Village. Spa Village Tanjong Jara is a sanctuary anchored in the ancient Malay way of life. The restorative spa treatments here are based on ancient Malay healing traditions, unique to the east coast of Malaysia. Located near the pool area by Nelayan restaurant, there are a variety of traditional Malay massage and treatment to choose from, featuring a unique blend of natural ingredients found in various indigenous herbs and plants a well as remedies for total health and beauty in the authentic Malay tradition.

Tranquility washes over all who walks through the Spa Village Tanjong Jara entrance. I was warmly greeted by the friendly staff, which then ushered me to the waiting area and served me a welcome drink. As I sipped on my drink, I immersed myself in nature, within the beautifully manicured gardens and water features. Not long after, I was then brought to one of the seven spa treatment rooms and changed into a batik sarong.





I  was booked in for the 100-minute Asam Roselle experience (RM650), which includes a relaxing massage and rejuvenating cream scrub using the roselle flower which is high in vitamin C and antioxidants. Each spa experience here at Spa Village Tanjong Jara starts with the mandi bunga (Malay floral bath) whereby guests are bathed from head to toe seven times with the blessings of purity, sincerity, health, beauty, happiness, prosperity and longevity bestowed upon them, providing them with the complete, traditional, “Unmistakably Malay” spa experience.

The Mandi Bunga ceremony originated in royal palaces where it was part of the formal procedures in the coronation of new kings. Traditionally, Mandi Bunga was practiced by Malay healers to rid the body of negative energies and was believed that one will find a perfect soul mate once they have undergone this special custom. It is now commonly carried out during coming-of-age celebrations or by couples during Malay wedding preparations, seven days before the ceremony.





Roselle has been long used in traditional medicine and local delicacies as it is known to have many health benefits such as lowering blood sugar levels. Furthermore, it can detoxify and cleanse the body, as well as being an organic formulation for anti-aging.

My therapist, Nisa, did a great job in making me feel relaxed throughout the treatment. Using a blend of roselle, ginger, nutmeg, galangal and karoteno oil, the massage which incorporates long kneading strokes started from legs, moving up the body and focused on my muscles and joints. It felt really good.



This was followed by a roselle cream scrub, using a concoction of roselle oil, rice powder and coconut oil to exfoliate and remove dead skin cells. My skin felt so smooth and even the kids commented how my skin glowed after the treatment.



A cup of warm roselle tea is served at the waiting area - a perfect end to this unique Malay experience. As a memento of my sucimurni experience, I was gifted with a batik sarong to take home with me.





To read more about Tanjong Jara Resort, click here:
Hotel Review: Tanjong Jara Resort, Malaysia
Nelayan Restaurant, Tanjong Jara Resort


Location: Spa Village Tanjong Jara, Tanjong Jara Resort, Batu 8, off Jalan Dungun, 23000 Dungun, Terengganu, Malaysia.

Tel: 09-845 1100

Website: http://www.spavillage.com

GPS Coordinates: 4.811139, 103.423422



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Monday, February 22, 2016

CNY Family Dinner @ Dynasty Restaurant, Renaissance Hotel KL

Remember this "cheeky monkey" photo I shared last week? I entered this photo in a CNY Instagram contest run by Renaissance Hotel KL and WE WON!



So, thanks to the monkey boy, we won a Prosperity Treasure Set Dinner for 5 persons - perfect for our family! We promptly made reservations and Baby D invited his grandparents along for the dinner on CNY Day 13 :)

It was our first time dining here at Dynasty Restaurant in Renaissance KL. First impressions were good; the CNY decor leading to the restaurant was gorgeous. Our table for the evening had fantastic views of the Twin Towers, and service throughout the night was top notch.



The Prosperity Treasure Dinner consisted of 7-courses, starting with Buddha jumps over the wall with ginseng. This soup which came with dried scallops, sea cucumber and fish maw was warming, nourishing and delicious.



Next came the Prosperity Treasure Pot, which was filled with an abundance of auspicious ingredients such as whole sun-dried scallop, fish maw, fresh scallop, sea cucumber, tiger prawns, money bag, free range chicken, roasted duck, roasted pork and flower mushroom. Both our kids liked the money bags as well as fresh scallop and tiger prawns.




More scallops appeared at our dining table, this time wok fried with asparagus in XO sauce. Good stuff! We were also served stir fried Hong Kong kai lan with wild mushroom as well as steamed glutinous rice and waxed meat in bamboo basket.  The lo mai fan was good, very fragrant and delicious.






For dessert, we had the sweetened soy bean with fungus and mixed jelly as well as two pastries (goldfish with pandan paste and nian gao with coconut). Suffice to say, we left feeling extremely satisfied :)







Thanks again to Renaissance KL for picking our photo as the winning photo!


Non-halal/Serves pork.

Location: Dynasty Restaurant, Level 1, East Wing, Renaissance Kuala Lumpur Hotel, Corner of Jalan Sultan Ismail & Jalan Ampang, 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (Parking rate: RM10 flat rate for diners)

Tel: 03-2162 2233

Website: http://www.klrenaissance.com



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Saturday, February 20, 2016

Hotel Review: Hotel Jen Tanglin Singapore

Just before Chinese New Year celebrations began, we were in Singapore for a short weekend break. This visit, we stayed in Hotel Jen Tanglin Singapore, which has recently undergone an extensive $SGD45 million makeover, to mark its transition from Traders Hotel Singapore.

The newly refurbished hotel gives out a fresh, contemporary vibe with many Instragrammable corners to be found around the hotel. There are 565 guest rooms in this 18-storey hotel – with a choice of 6 room types- ranging from a 26m² Superior Room to the 75 m² Premier Suite with prices starting at SGD$250 per night. The rooms are all uniquely different, with four contemporary locally curated wallpaper designs highlighting a Singapore theme (bicycle, orchid, goldfish and shop house).



We stayed in the Club Room, located on the highest floor, with a view of the pool area and nearby residential neighbourhood. The Club Room offers all the features of a Deluxe room, plus Club Lounge benefits. The rooms are thoughtfully appointed, with comfortable king-sized floating beds with 300-thread count linen, high pressure walk-in showers, USB charger outlets, electronic safe, tea and coffee making facilities as well as free, fast Wifi connection throughout the hotel. I like the bay window sofa, where I can sit and chill with a book. Our room has easy access to the Club Lounge on the 17th Floor, as the two floors are connected by a spiral stairway. If you're too lazy to walk, you can always take the lift - we were impressed with how fast they always arrive.



View from our Club Room





The Club Lounge is open daily from 6.30am to 10.00pm and is accessible 24 hours with room keys. It is a welcoming, chic space to chill or to enjoy a bite and drink, with fantastic views of the estate's surroundings. The Club Lounge offers daily buffet breakfast, mid-afternoon treats, cocktail hour (wines, cocktails, and delicious canapes) and even instant noodles for supper. Coffee, tea and soft drinks is also available all day, and they went prepare paper cups for you to "tapao" your drinks away. We had breakfast at The Club Lounge one of the mornings, and I was happy to find cold cuts such as Iberico ham and pork bacon. For a wider breakfast spread, you can opt to have it at J65 which offers lots of local breakfast items such as laksa, bak kut teh and chicken rice.


Breakfast at the Club Lounge



Cocktail hour - they serve different canapes every evening! One of the evenings we had the miso pork belly and it was so good!






The hotel swimming pool located on the 4th Floor is surrounded by lush greenery. You can take a swim in the 30-metre long swimming pool, or relax in the outdoor whirlpool or on any of the comfortable lounge chairs at the pool area. They also provide lots of colorful floats (great for relaxing or simply for snapping photos ;)). There is also a 24-hour boutique gym and spa (with sauna, steam bath and indoor whirlpool) in the hotel.




Matchy OOTD with the cute zebra float




The hotel is a 25-minutes drive from Changi International Airport and is accessible via taxi, bus, subway (MRT) and hotel limousine. It is a 10-minute walk the hotel to Orchard Road, or you can catch the hourly free shuttle bus service. Tanglin Mall is connected to the hotel, and offers a range of high quality shops, cafes, and supermarket. Tokyo bicycles are also available free for guests to use and discover the City.




Two new dining outlets are launched in the freshly refurbished lobby level; J65, the hotel's all day dining restaurant and Jen's Kitchen On-The-Go.  J65's name is inspired by the Singapore international dialing code. The interior has a South East Asian modern market feel  and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We tried the Weekend Seafood Dinner (available Fri and Sat - SGD78 nett per person) as well as the Champagne Sunday Brunch (SGD128 with alcohol or SGD 88 without alcohol) at J65 and we were very impressed with the vast selection of fresh seafood, roasts, sashimi, and desserts. Though the restaurant was at full capacity during both our visits, the food was constantly replenished and the service staff was very efficient in clearing our plates. I would highly recommend J65 to those who love buffets offering high-quality, delicious food. For a more detailed review post on J65, please click here.







Free flow Perrier Jouet champagne at the Sunday Champagne Brunch




Jen's Kitchen On-the-Go offers a selection of artisan roasted coffee brewed from scratch by baristas from local coffee connoisseurs, Nomad the Gallant as well as curated teas. Hotel Jen Tanglin are passionate in their support of small and local businesses – the meticulously handcrafted artisan aprons worn by the F&B team members were conceptualized by local designer FIN and commissioned specially by Hotel Jen Tanglin to promote home-grown talent and skill. The buzzy café incorporates a funky Tokyo bicycle as part of the ingenious, contemporary new design. The hotel also houses Ah Hoi's Kitchen, which serves local street food such as Singapore chilli crab and many "zhi char" dishes.



The Tokyo Bicycle can also be found on this feature wall at the hotel lobby - have fun snapping photos here! There are lots of great spots around the hotel for Instagram shots and photos.






Thank you Hotel Jen Tanglin Singapore for having us!

Room rates start from SGD$250 per night. Check in time 2pm, check out time 12pm. 

Location: Hotel Jen Tanglin Singapore, 1A Cuscaden Road, Singapore 249716.

Tel: +65 6738 2222




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