Banana Leaf Rice @ Sri Nirwana Maju, Bangsar, KL

Sri Nirwana Maju is one of the more popular banana leaf rice restaurants in the Bangsar area. If you happen to walk past the restaurant around noon, chances are you would have seen a long queue outside the restaurant.

So, Hubby and I got to the restaurant around 11.15am, and yay, no queue! The restaurant was still relatively quiet at that time, which meant that it was not so stuffy as well. I came here a long time ago with my brother, and it got really hot inside when the place is full.

So, we ordered 2 banana leaf rice (RM8.50 each), which comes with rice, three types of vegetables, your choice of curry (fish curry, chicken curry or dhall), rasam, pickle and salted chilli as well as poppadums. The fish curry had quite a spicy kick to it, very tasty. The three types of vegetables during our visit was cucumber raita, pumpkin and deep fried snake gourd. Unfortunately, the vegetables here are not refillable (any refills will be charged).

We also ordered a portion of mutton curry (RM8) - the meat chunks were tender and delicious. Overall, everything was very nicely done, we thoroughly enjoyed our meal. Would definitely come back!

Mutton curry

Mango lassi (RM6)

The menu here - they also do a selection of fried noodles, rice, and other curries. 

Open 24 hours.

Price: Total bill RM32.90.

Location: Restoran Sri Nirwana Maju, 43 Jalan Telawi 3, 59100 Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur. (Street parking available, or park at Bangsar Village and walk across)

Tel: 03-2287 8445

GPS Coordinates: 3.131110, 101.671053


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Hotel Review: Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur - Club Suite

We have fond memories of our stay here a few years back, so we were definitely excited to be at the Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur again for a family staycation. This time, we stayed in the Club Suite on the 33rd Floor in this 5-star hotel.

The Sheraton Club Suite is spacious (84m²) and is perfect for families. Our suite comes with a city view and comes with a separate living and bedroom area. The bedroom comes with a king-sized bed, sofa, TV and a walk-in closet for storing your luggage and clothing. Although comfortable, the suite interior is rather dated in appearance.

The bathroom is also spacious, with a separate toilet, marble counter tops, a bathtub and two rainforest showerheads. Our kids sure had lots of fun playing in the bathtub.

The living area is equipped with a 40” LED flat screen TV with kids channel as well as DVD player. There is a working desk as well as coffee / tea making facilities in the living area. There is also complimentary high speed WiFi for your surfing needs.

Guests staying in the Club Suite will have access to the Sheraton Club Lounge on the 38th Floor. What I like best about Sheraton is that kids are allowed in to the lounge at all times (including cocktail hour). Hence the whole family can hang out together in the lounge - very family-friendly indeed. Furthermore, service here is exemplary - the staff always greets us with a smile, are efficient and friendly. Guests can enjoy breakfast here in the mornings, coffee, tea, juices and light snacks throughout the day. and complimentary evening cocktails and light bites (from 5pm to 8pm) at the lounge.

The outdoor free-form swimming pool (1.43m deep) is located on Level 5, and comes a great view of the KL Tower. While the kids had fun in the pool with Hubby, I relaxed on one of the lounge chairs under the shade. There is also an outdoor jacuzzi at the pool area.

There is also a jacuzzi as well as a steam room and sauna located in Mandara Spa

The hotel is strategically located with the LRT station just a few minutes walk away; the LRT will bring you to many attractions in the city. There is also a new shopping mall (Quill City Mall) located opposite the hotel, a lifestyle haven with an exciting mix of shopping, dining, and entertainment. For dining options, pay a visit to the refreshed "The Row" for cafes and restaurants.

The hotel also houses five F&B outlets, so you will be definitely be spoilt for choice. Essence is the hotel's all-day dining restaurant, serving breakfast, an a la carte menu as well as an international buffet spread for lunch and dinner. We like coming here for breakfast as they have an extensive spread, including fresh juices (made to order), waffles, mee goreng, noodles, pastries, roti canai and more.

Cod from the a la carte menu at Essence

Our favorite restaurant in the hotel is Celestial Court, where both service and food is excellent. A must-try here is the pork-free dim sum, exquisitely made for your enjoyment. You can also find authentic Cantonese cuisine here in the evenings. They also offer an All-You-Can-Eat dim sum buffet on Sat, Sun and Public Holidays. This includes unlimited servings of dim sum as well as Cantonese a la carte dishes.

Dim sum at Celestial Court - link to detailed review here

Villa Danieli, housed in a free-standing Tuscany-style villa, offers authentic, homely Italian cuisine that is sure to delight. The restaurant features an open kitchen, complete with a custom made wood-fired oven. We had the pleasure of trying the White Asparagus promotion as well as the Italian Sunday Brunch, and we thoroughly enjoyed both our meals here.

Filleto di Manzo - link to detailed review here

At the Italian Sunday Brunch - link to detailed review

Indulge in a spot of afternoon tea at Pavilions Lounge in a beautiful, elegant setting while being entertained by the live pianist.

Afternoon tea at Pavilions Lounge - link to detailed review here

Do check out the Advance Purchase Deal Package by clicking this link, for room rates as low as RM230++ per room per night.



Check-in time 3pm, check-out time 12 noon.

Location: Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur Hotel, Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur. (Parking rate is RM8.50 per 25 hours for hotel guests)

Tel: 03 -2717 9900

GPS Coordinates: 3.158813, 101.700203

Website: http://www.sheratonimperialkualalumpur.com/



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Eating Out in Seremban - Breakfast, Lunch and Afternoon Snack

One weekend, we went back to Seremban to run some errands. But first, let's feed our stomachs! We had breakfast at Restoran New Haup Huat, located near the wet market.

I have been eating at this particular noodle stall since I was 5-6 years old. I would always have their wantan mee (RM4.50) while my brother would have their Ipoh sar hor fun (RM4.50). The taste of the noodles is still good after all these years. If you come early enough, make sure to order the plump and juicy prawn wantans too - they only sell limited amounts daily.

The char siew served here is the leaner version. Our kids seem to like this a lot!

This noodles stall also shares the same space with our favorite roast duck in Seremban. It'd be silly not to get some duck while we're here. Half a duck costs RM27.50. The man always debones it nicely for us. The meat is tender, flavorful with a beautiful glistening, crispy skin. YUM!

Lunch was at our favorite Seremban dai chow restaurant, TC Keong. Since we were dining with our relatives, we could order many more dishes to try this time around.

One of the signature dishes of the restaurant is the legendary steamed fish head (RM28) - they use "soong yee" (carp) fish head. The cheong ching sauce (a sweet, spicy and sour sauce) is the bomb, absolutely delicious and full of umami flavours. Some of my dad's friends used to drive down from KL to Seremban just to have this over the weekend.

Our favorite, stir fried beef with oyster sauce and spring onions (RM15).

Thai-style tofu (RM10) - deep fried homemade tofu topped with an appetizing concoction of pickled onions, red chillies and cili padi.

Other dishes that we had here: sweet and sour pork (RM15) - one of the best versions you can find in Seremban, kangkung with belacan (RM10), and stir fried lettuce (RM10)

On another visit, we had the deep fried tilapia, stir fried bittergourd and stir fried potato leaves (fan shu yip).

And finally some pulut cendol from Haji Shariff to cool down on a hot afternoon :) (see detailed post here). If I'm not mistaken, the price is RM1.70 per bowl now.

Here is a list of other good eats in Seremban. Feel free to browse the Label: Seremban for more inspirations.


Closed on Mondays.


Location: Restoran Haup Huat, Jalan Tuanku Munawir, 70000 Seremban, Negeri Sembilan. (a few lanes away from Pasar Besar Seremban)

GPS coordinates: 2.728625, 101.936367

***************

Closed on Sundays.

Location: TC Keong Restaurant, No. 7 Ground Floor, Jalan Seri Rahang 1, Taman Seri Rahang, 70100 Seremban (near Cosway)

Tel: 012-6118286 / 012-6189960

GPS Coordinates: 2.717239, 101.948973

******************

Location: Haji Shariff Cendol & Catering Sdn Bhd, 44 Jalan Yam Tuan, 70000 Seremban, Negeri Sembilan.

Tel: 016-612 8505

GPS Coordinates: 2.726635, 101.940081


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Serdang R Chai Ko Roasted Duck 阿仔哥燒鴨

On lazy days, we would sometimes "tapau" food back home for dinner. One of the things we like to get is roast duck. We recently discovered a "duck stall" near Bandar Damai Perdana, selling famous roast duck from Serdang Ah Chai Ko 阿仔哥燒鴨.

We're tried it a few times now, and we like it a lot. As it is quite popular, we were told that fresh roast duck is delivered to the truck every hour, and the meat is always still warm when we get it.

A whole duck will cost you RM46 RM66, and can comfortably feed a family of 6 as they are quite large. The skin is crispy and the meat is tender and flavorful. The accompanying chilli dip packs a punch, with a spicy kick. They also give you the herbal sauce that comes from roasting the duck.

Serdang R Chai Ko Roasted Duck (阿仔哥燒鴨)

From 10am, last order around 6pm.

Price: RM46 for whole duck. (Price update 1/2/17: RM52, 16/2/22 RM66 for whole duck)

Location: Bandar Damai Perdana, Persiaran Damai Perdana, 56000 Cheras, Selangor. (near the fruit stall and school).

Tel: 016-391 9598 / 016-693 6978

GPS Coordinates: 3.046886, 101.739235


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The Lion Guard on Disney Junior + Giveaway

One of the greatest animated movies as well as a favorite of mine is The Lion King. I laughed and I cried as I watched the movie, back in 1994 when I was still in secondary school. Then, when I was a little older and started working in the UK, I went to see The Lion King musical with Hubby in London and it was amazing! I've always been mesmerised by the story, animation and music of The Lion King.

New on Disney Junior is The Lion Guard, that continues the tradition of family and music from the award-winning Disney classic The Lion King. The Lion Guard follows the adventures of Simba and Nala's son, Kion as he learns how to be the leader of the Lion Guard, a legendary team that protects the Pride Lands.

The Lion Guard series is designed to communicate positive lessons about team work, community and diversity. Watch as the diverse team of young animals learn how to combine their unique skills to work together in each episode. Each member of the Lion Guard has a special skill: Kion is the Fiercest, Bunga is the Bravest, Fuli is the Fastest, Beshte is the Strongest, and Ono is the Keenest of Sight.

Each episode of The Lion Guard incorporates Swahili words and phrases, to link to its African heritage, such as, Kion’s catchphrase ‘Hevi kabisa!’ which means ‘Totally intense!’. To make the animal characters as close to real life as possible, the Education and Science experts at Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park served as consultants.

And that's not all - you can also find your favourite characters from The Lion King in this series, including Simba, Nala, Raffiki, Zazu, Mufasa, Timon, and Pumbaa, who will be offering their advice to the new Lion Guard.

When I asked Baby D which is his favorite character from The Lion Guard, he exclaimed "Kion"! Kion is Simba and Nala's second child, and possesses the Roar of the Elders, a magical gift that causes the lion spirits of The Pride Lands past to roar with him, making his roar very powerful. This gift is traditionally given to the second-born, with the last owner being Scar, who used it for evil (and hence lost the gift). "Kion uses the Roar of the Elders to scare away the hyenas (aka the bad guys)", " Baby D tells me excitedly.

Another favorite character of ours is Bunga, a honey badger who is the adopted nephew of Timon and Pumbaa, the funny duo from The Lion King. He is fearless, adventurous and impulsive, however he is also the bravest and will put himself in harm's way in order to save his friends. His catchphrase is "Zuka Zama," which means "Get up, dive in" in Swahili! What we like best about Bunga is that he is very optimistic and can turn even the most dire of situations into a fantastic time.

Don't forget to catch The Lion Guard on Disney Junior (Astro Channel 613) every Monday at 9.30am!


GIVEAWAY!

I am also doing a giveaway here in collaboration with Disney Junior! All you need to do is to answer this question in the comment section:

Which member of The Lion Guard is your favourite and why?

Leave your answer and email in the comment section and stand a chance to win The Lion Guard mini hamper. 5 lucky winners will be chosen!

Do comment by 26th June 2016. Good luck to you!


Congratulations to these winners!
Choi Yen
Jenny Lim
Stan
Small Kucing
Christine Leng



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Rabbit Fun Land, Semenyih

* Update Dec 2016 - Please note that Rabbit Fun Land is no longer operational at Broga Hill and has moved to Lot 1556, Mukim Lenggeng, 71750 Lenggeng, Negeri Sembilan (Waze:Rabbit Fun Land, Setil Lenggeng). Entrance fee is RM8. Open Sat, Sun and PH only from 11am to 6.30pm.


We first attempted to visit Rabbit Fun Land on a weekday, however when we got there, it was closed. We later found out that they only open during weekends, and it's only open during weekdays for pre-arranged school trips and such.

Rabbit Fun Land is located in Semenyih opposite Broga Hill, and is the largest rabbit farm in Malaysia. Entry fee is RM5 per person, however they charge RM10 for a small packet of carrots. And it's not much fun if you enter without carrots, as there is pretty much nothing to do here except for feeding the animals. They also offer pony rides for RM8 per child.

They have some rabbits in an open compound, however most of them weren't interested in the carrot sticks (we suspect that they were full as they had been fed all morning by other people LOL). There are white, grey and brown rabbits. Further along, there are also rabbits kept in cages.

Other than rabbits, they also have other animals such as horses, geese, cows, donkeys, deers, goats and monkeys. So it's a nice place to bring your kids and show different farm animals to them. The place is not that big, so you could be done in 30-45 minutes. For more animal variety, you can check out Farm in the City (link here).

Photobombed by a donkey!

They have a suspended bridge for kids to play on too

After that, we drove down the road to Ladybird Organic Farm (about 2 mins away) to visit some other farm animals (geese, rabbit and chickens). No entry fee here. You can also show vegetable seedlings and organic fruits and vegetables to your children. Check out this post for more photos.

See the giant hanging fruit behind Baby D? They're yellow passion fruits...  first time encountering this!

A restaurant worth checking out when you're in Semenyih - Restoran 52.



Open on Saturday and Sundays only, from 9.30am to 7.30pm.

Location: Rabbit Fun Land, P.T 133 & 134, Batu 26, Jalan Balau, Mukim Beranang, 43500 Semenyih, Selangor. (on-site parking available)

Tel: +603-9173 3228 / +6012-213 3288

GPS Coordinates: 2.937790, 101.901143

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