Dinner With Neighbors We’ve Known For Over 40 Years @ Exquisite Seafood Restaurant Ipoh

Yesterday, I joined my parents for dinner with our neighbours — people who have lived on the same street as us for more than 40 years.

I’ve actually known some of them since I was just a 12-year-old girl, but funny enough, I had hardly ever spoken to them back then because we seldom crossed paths. Then, at 17, I left Ipoh for the big city to pursue my studies and later my career. In what feels like the blink of an eye, 35 years have flown by.

Thankfully, now that I’m back in Ipoh, I’ve had the opportunity to reconnect with them.

Over the past decade, my parents and these neighbours have become quite a close-knit group. Once everyone retired and had more free time, they started travelling together, both locally and overseas, and going on lots of foodie trips. 😄

Now that I’m back home, my parents have started bringing me along too.

This time, our foodie outing was at Exquisite Seafood Restaurant, where we tried their RM49.90++ à la carte buffet dinner. One of our neighbours had tried it before and highly recommended it to the neighbour who usually organises all our outings, so a date was quickly fixed for everyone to go and try it together.

For RM49.90++, we could order an unlimited number of dishes from the buffet menu, with one important rule: any unfinished food or wastage would be charged at the original à la carte price. Each table is also given 1 hour 45 minutes to dine.

But honestly, 1 hour 45 minutes was more than enough time — especially for a group of oldies with our tiny appetites! 😂

My absolute favourite was the fried fish skin with salted egg yolk. The fish skin was incredibly crispy, not oily at all and seriously addictive. I ended up eating quite a lot of it, which unfortunately filled up my little stomach and left me with less room for all the other dishes.

The fried freshwater fish cooked in a claypot was also very good, as was the stir-fried prawns with celery. There were so many yummy dishes on the menu that I wished I had a bigger stomach. In the end, I could only manage about one piece of each of the meat dishes I tried. 😆

There was also a buy 10, get 2 free promotion. Since there were 11 of us, we qualified for it — yay!

For my parents and me, our total “damage” came to just RM144. Not bad at all for three people!

We enjoyed the food so much that when my brothers and daughters are back in Ipoh next week, we’re planning to bring them there too.

It’s quite special to sit around the same table with people who have been our neighbours for more than four decades, especially when I remember being that little 12-year-old girl living on the same street all those years ago.

So yesterday was a night of good food, lots of laughter and, most importantly, good bonding with our neighbours of over 40 years. ❤️

Sometimes, life really does bring you back to where you started — and gives you a chance to reconnect with people you never knew you’d become friends with.

You can watch the video on my YouTube channel or Facebook page.  The two videos are slightly different on different channels.

Bucket Lists

Today, one of my daughters messaged me to ask for my opinion about dyeing her hair pink — a full head of pink hair! 🩷

Of course, I supported her decision wholeheartedly, especially since she is paying for it herself with money from her part-time job.

For the longest time, I have wanted to dye my own hair too — either blonde or pink. And pink is my all-time favourite girly colour! Even my car was pink at one point, as were many of my handbags, dresses, sports shoes and even my bedding. 😂

So when she mentioned pink hair, I think I got even more excited than she was! 😅

There are actually many things on my bucket list that I have always wanted to do. Besides dyeing my hair blonde or pink, I have always wanted to get a tattoo on my hand or leg, and join dance and singing classes, as dancing and singing are two of my favourite hobbies.

Now, I am learning Zumba, which involves plenty of dancing, so I can finally tick one item off my bucket list! ✔️💃

I also once dreamed of becoming a cabin crew member. In fact, I received an offer from MAS in 1996 and was about to go for my pre-employment medical check-up when I suddenly changed my mind. At that time, I was still working as a bank officer.  Don't ask me why I changed my mind. I still regret that decision until today. 😭

I have also always wanted to learn scuba diving... and there are many more things on my bucket list!

Perhaps this is one reason why I have never stopped my three daughters from doing the things they truly want to do. One is a globetrotter, another is a competitive dancer who is still attending dance lessons and taking dance examinations on top of her architecture degree, while another is a competitive figure skater despite being busy with university.

A few years ago when two of my daughters got semi-permanent tattoos on their hands, I was so excited for them — and secretly wished I could do the same too! 😂

One day — hopefully in the very near future — I know I will finally dye my hair in my favourite colour and get myself a non-painful, semi-permanent tattoo on my hand or leg too!

Don't ask me why I never did all those things on my bucket list. I am too lazy to explain. 😂 Perhaps one day, when I feel like it, I will tell you.

For now, I simply enjoy watching my daughters live their lives to the fullest. They work hard for the things they want and pamper themselves with their own hard-earned money. I am proud that they rarely ask me for money, except for their university tuition fees. 

Throwback photos, taken 2 weeks ago when my younger brother was back in Ipoh. 

Lunch and dessert at Dong Cheng Dessert House @ Medan Ipoh, Ipoh Garden East and dinner at Sam Po Restaurant, Bercham.

Sago pomelo mango dessert with bursting balls, peach gum and grapefruit @ Dong Cheng Dessert House

Wanton noodles with fried pork ribs, braised pork knuckles and marinated king oyster mushroom appetizer @ Dong Cheng Dessert House

Stir-fried sambal belacan pucuk paku @ Sam Po Restaurant Bercham

Fried soft shell crab @ Sam Po Restaurant Bercham

Salted egg yolk baby French beans @ Sam Po Restaurant Bercham

Stir fried garoupa fish with scallions and ginger @ Sam Po Restaurant Bercham

Claypot tofu

16 August 2026 - Dinner

Today, Dad surprised us by announcing that he wasn't cooking dinner. Instead, we were going out to eat! 😄 Mum and I couldn't have been happier because we really don't want him cooking every single day. At 83, it's tiring to be preparing meals almost daily, and he deserves a well-earned break too. And this means no post-dinner cleaning up for me, yay!

So off we went to Dad's favourite tai chow restaurant, Sam Poh in Tambun. Even though there were only three of us—and we're all incredibly small eaters—Dad still ordered three dishes: stir-fried garoupa fish slices with ginger and scallions, salted egg yolk baby French beans, and claypot tofu. Everything was delicious, but there was no way we could finish it all, so we packed the leftovers home for tomorrow. 😋

Speaking of food, my youngest daughter told me today that UM has been providing free lunches to Foundation students since the start of her programme last month, and it will continue until September. It's nothing fancy—just a rice box with rice, cucumber slices, and a packet of curry, which I think contains chicken. Interestingly, no cutlery is provided, so everyone gets to enjoy their meal the beloved Malaysian way... with their hands! 😂.  Sorry no photo of her lunch box because this girl forbids me from posting her photos.

Delicious Curry Noodles and Lam Mee at Restoran & Kafe New Weng Fatt, Ipoh Garden South

After the gym today, Mum and I headed to our favourite kopitiam for brunch. ❤️

Mum ordered her favourite Lam Mee again, while I had curry "noodles" without the noodles. 😄 My keto version was loaded with chicken, roast pork, char siu and extra crunchy bean sprouts.

I paired my meal with a warm, unsweetened barley drink. 

There was a time when milk tea was my absolute favourite. I loved it iced, unsweetened and with lots of evaporated milk! But as I've gotten older, my body doesn't seem to tolerate it anymore. These days, milk tea from outside stalls often leaves me with heart palpitations, insomnia, phlegm and even dizziness, from the caffeine.

I've also stopped drinking iced beverages and now prefer warm drinks most of the time. It's one of the small lifestyle changes I've made in the hope of ageing as healthily as possible.

Before heading home, I also picked up some lean roast pork and roast chicken breast for dinner.

Getting enough protein is important at every stage of life, especially after a workout, as our muscles need protein to repair and grow stronger.

I've been eating a low-carb diet since 2000 because of PCOS, so rice and noodles have been off my menu for over 25 years. It has become a way of life for me now.

Very nice curry from New Weng Fatt, Ipoh Garden South.

Very delish lam mee & kai si hor fun soup from New Weng Fatt, Ipoh Garden South.

Skinny roast pork @ only RM10 for a generous portion at New Weng Fatt.

Cheapest roast chicken breast in Ipoh - only RM5 for a portion, sans rice, at New Weng Fatt. My favourite lean protein.  I share it with Haru 😆

The 10th Day of CNY: Health Checks & Family Lunch In Menglembu

Today is the 10th day of Chinese New Year, and was my scheduled yearly medical check-up and Pap smear.

This year, instead of visiting my usual gynae in KL, I did it at Pantai Hospital Ipoh. After Googling for female health screening packages, I found that Pantai was offering one of the best deals. I chose the Ruby package at RM380, which includes a Pap smear, blood and urine tests, abdominal ultrasound, lung function test, eye test, dental check, and ECG. I also added an ultrasound of the breasts for RM87.

The whole process was surprisingly quick. By 11am, everything was done. I couldn’t see the doctor today as she had to attend a meeting, so I’ll be reviewing the results with her next week. The medical report was WhatsApped to me by noon.

There was complimentary breakfast too. I had to scan a barcode to choose my meal, and after finishing the scans, I headed to the café. The set was quite a big breakfast — sausage, ham, baked beans with bell pepper, scrambled eggs, a slice of wholemeal toast, hash brown and watermelon. The latte was pretty good too. Not the healthiest, but it was tasty and not overly salty. I haven’t eaten something like that in a long time.

My dad fetched me home, and after a quick shower, I drove us to Menglembu for lunch with my dad’s siblings. The drive there took about an hour, but the return trip was much faster. It was my first time driving to Menglembu using Waze — something I’d probably never do in KL. The traffic in Klang Valley is just too horrendous, and I hate wasting time stuck in jams.

Lunch with the relatives was lovely. But after being away from my fur baby almost the entire day, I realised how much I missed her. It made me wonder how I’ll cope if I ever go back to working full-time and have to leave Haru alone in my room for the whole day. I guess I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.

All in all, it was a busy and fruitful day. As for my medical report — that’s a story for another day, if I feel like sharing. Not too bad, yet not perfect either. But that’s life, right?

Watch the video here and follow for more updates here> https://www.facebook.com/reel/1944200619507868

I drove an hour to Menglembu to have this lovely lunch with my dad's siblings at Best View Restaurant.

The Great Washing Machine Saga: A Flood, A Fix, and A Lesson Learned

We’ve all been there. That moment a trusted household appliance decides to go on strike. In our case, the culprit was the washing machine, and what started as a simple repair turned into a two-day saga involving a flooded kitchen, a lot of hand-washing, and a lesson in water pressure.

Everyone in the house, except for someone sitting for a major exam soon, had to hand-wash their own clothes the past two days.

It all began when the technician arrived yesterday. He was efficient, diagnosed the problem quickly—a faulty motor—and replaced it with a new one. RM350 later, he packed up and left, and I was left with a sense of relief. Problem solved! Or so I thought.

Eager to get back to normal, I immediately started a load. But with just 8 minutes left on the cycle, my hope turned to dread. The machine had frozen. It was just… hanging.

A frantic WhatsApp message to the technician followed. He guided me through a "simple" fix: remove the cap at the bottom to let the water out. What he didn't mention was that this would unleash a tidal wave in my kitchen. Long story short, I spent the rest of the day hand-washing a mountain of clothes, hauling the heavier items to the dobi shop, and mopping up what felt like a small lake from the floor.

Round Two: The Technician Returns.

The technician came back this morning, presumably with a little more determination. He did his magic, and this time, he did something crucial: he waited. He stayed for the entire 15-minute cycle to ensure it actually finished. Victory, at last!

After he left, I confidently ran a full load. The cycle completed perfectly. The clothes were clean. But as I went to retrieve the clothes, I saw a new puddle of water on the floor. This was exactly the same problem that had plagued us for the past few weeks.

Another message to the technician. His explanation this time? Our own water pressure.

Apparently, our machine has a ‘U’-shaped drainage design, which is meant to slow the water flow. But our home's water pressure is so strong that it fights against this design, causing water to splatter back out from the detergent drawer. The solution? I have to lower our water pressure.

So, here we are. The machine is (fingers crossed) fixed, but with a new domestic variable to manage. This washer, which will only turn two years old in December 2025, has already put us through the wringer. It’s a stark reminder that modern appliances these days aren't always built for heavy use.

And with at least six rounds of laundry a day in our household, I’ve reached a conclusion: the next washer I buy won’t be a standard model. It’s going to be an industrial-grade, heavy-duty workhorse built to handle the chaos of real life.

For now, I’m crossing my fingers, turning down the water pressure, and hoping this one can survive another year. Wish me luck!

Throwback food pix from two Sundays ago - our lunch at Yat Yat Seng @ Megah Rise, Taman Megah, PJ. 

I grew up eating Yat Yat Seng, Ipoh's famous 'kai si hor fun' (chicken floss noodles) and curry noodles.  Fast forward several decades,  and there are now several branches in KL and PJ. 

Hubby is a huge fan of Yat Yat Seng's curry noodles.  The owner, Datin Seri Denise, is also a friend of hubby's.

Kai si hor fun

Curry noodles.

Steamed chicken and Ipoh bean sprouts.

Wantan filled with juicy prawns.

Pork belly in rice wine.

Sunday, 17 August 2025

This past Sunday was a day of early morning, athletic feats, and delicious food.  Cass was up bright and early, but instead of her usual figure skating practice, she was off to the Universiti Malaya sports arena for her school’s sports day (Semi-Finals). She competed in two events: the 800-meter and the 4x400-meter runs. Finishing 4th out of 20 runners in the 800m and 3rd in the 4x400m is a fantastic achievement, and her hard work has earned her a spot in the Finals at the Bukit Jalil stadium this coming Saturday.

After picking her up from UM, we headed to Bangsar for lunch. This time, we ate at Hong Kong Garden Restaurant, formerly known as Man Kee Hong Kong Beef Noodle. We feasted on our favorite dim sum items, a comforting bowl of Hong Kong beef noodles, and their signature white chicken, which came with the most delicious ginger and homemade chili dips. The braised radish and a cup of classic Hong Kong milk tea perfectly rounded out the meal.

After a satisfying lunch, we took a short walk to Bangsar Village 2 for a treat. Nothing says "Sunday" quite like a scoop of Häagen-Dazs ice cream. I was torn between my two favorite flavors, coffee and matcha, but in the end, the rich matcha on a crispy cone won me over. All four of us enjoyed a scoop, and my husband even bought a tub of his favorite macadamia brittle nut flavor to take home. It was a special treat to have Cass with us for Sunday lunch, as she's usually at the skating rink.

While our family was a little smaller—Alycia was away in Ipoh with her university friends, and Sherilyn was in Singapore for a dance competition—we were all connected by a wave of good news. The day ended with a text from Sherilyn with some amazing news: her team had emerged as Champions in the Contemporary Dance category at the 27th Asia Pacific Dance Competition, held at Gateway Theatre in Singapore.

I couldn’t be prouder of Sherilyn. This is a testament to her dedication and talent. Her team flew to Singapore for the competition and, to save on costs, will be taking a bus back home. Her hard work paid off in the biggest way. It was a Sunday filled with wins, big and small, proving that dedication, whether on the track or the dance floor, always pays off.

Hor fun with delicious handmade sotong balls.

Love the fried radish cake.

Simply delicious!

A pink minibus inside Bangsar Village, and it was no. 10, the very bus that I used to take from Jalan Ipoh where I rented a room, to college in Jalan Ampang, and later to my workplace in Jalan Hang Lekiu over 3 decades ago!  The minibus is now an antique, and seeing it again after more than 30 years filled me with many fond memories of the past.

Saturday, 9 August 2025

Last night was a bit out of the ordinary for us. A typical Saturday evening usually finds us at our favourite tai chow restaurant, but yesterday, we found ourselves at The Gardens Mall for dinner. The reason? A mission-critical trip to the money changer.

Sherilyn is heading to Singapore this week for the 27th Asia Pacific Dance Competition. Her team made it to the finals, and they'll be there for five days. This is an incredible achievement, but it comes with a hefty price tag. The current exchange rate for the Malaysian Ringgit against the Singapore Dollar is… well, let’s just say it requires a significant sum of Ringgit to get a "pathetic" amount in SGD. And unfortunately, this entire trip is self-funded.

After the money was changed, we were all ready for a good meal. We decided on Canton-i, and my husband, ever the enthusiast, ordered our usual favorites. His all-time favorite, the roast duck, was a must-have. We also enjoyed stir-fried beef noodles and wantan noodles, along with some delicious sui kow (dumplings) and perfectly roasted cha siu.

The highlight of the meal, though, was an incredibly unique dish. It was a variation of the traditional confinement dish, where Yong Tau Foo pieces (stuffed brinjal, red chili, and bitter gourd) were cooked in a rich rice wine broth with fried egg and black fungus. While this dish typically uses chicken, the substitution with Yong Tau Foo was a revelation—unique and absolutely delicious.

We left the mall feeling satisfied. The whole experience made me think that maybe swapping our usual Saturday night tai chow for a dinner at the mall isn’t such a bad idea after all. It was a nice change of pace, and the food at Canton-i was fantastic.

As for Sherilyn, the competition awaits. I wish Sherilyn and her team the very best of luck in Singapore this week, hoping all their hard work pays off on the big stage.

Alycia’s Foodie Adventures in Ho Chi Minh – Now I Want to Go Too!

Alycia’s recent trip to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam turned out to be such a wonderful and delicious getaway. She and her university mates had a fantastic time digging into authentic Vietnamese food — and from the daily photos she sent me, I could tell they were truly enjoying every bite!

What amazed me most was how affordable the food is in Vietnam, especially when compared to KL. From beef pho to banh mi and other street food, the dishes looked not only mouthwatering but also generously portioned and beautifully presented.

Honestly, with every photo Alycia sent — some showing hearty bowls of pho, others featuring crusty banh mi bursting with fillings, and the prettiest Vietnamese jelly desserts — I found myself saying the same thing over and over again:

“I need to go to Vietnam soon!”

Our family has always been big fans of Vietnamese cuisine. We often dine at Vietnamese restaurants and order our favourites through ShopeeFood online delivery.  Our usuals include banh mi, lemongrass grilled chicken noodle salad, and of course, a comforting bowl of beef pho from Pho Viet.

But there’s something about enjoying these dishes right at the source, where the flavours are bold, fresh, and authentic — and the prices are a steal!

Alycia and her friends each spent less than RM2k on this trip, which included flight tickets, hotel, food, and souvenirs. The Maison Marou (Vietnam's famous artisan chocolate) dried coconut coated in dark chocolate that Alycia got for us from Vietnam was very delicious.

So for now, I’ll let Alycia’s food photos do the talking in this post. I’m pretty sure they’ll make you salivate and perhaps even inspire you to book your own food-filled trip to Vietnam soon!

Vietnam, you’re officially on my foodie travel bucket list!

Supper of chilli crabs in the hotel.

This delicious crab salad came loaded with crab meat and cost around RM30+ a plate. The four girls ordered two plates.

Bánh Mì (Vietnamese Baguette) loaded with meat from a street vendor.

Wagyu pho at a Michelin restaurant on the first day.

Delicious Viet jelly ice dessert.

On the second last day, they visited Tan Dinh Church, an over-150-year-old pink church in Saigon.