Mother's Day 2023

Sunday, 14 May 2023

This year's Mother's Day lunch was with hubs and Cass only. Alycia was at her weekend part-time job and Sherilyn had a dance practice at home before dance class at the studio. She's currently practising for an upcoming dance competition.

Hubs asked where I wanted to eat and gave me suggestions but I couldn't agree with all his choices. He just drove us to Bangsar, a happening place with a legion of cafes and restaurants. I saw Haidilao and said I didn't mind another round of hotpot at Haidilao. But we were too early and the restaurant wasn't opened yet. So we went to Bangsar Village and chose Nutmeg, one of our favorite restaurants.

My pick - Veggie Benedict set. 

At its foundation lies a perfectly toasted slice of sourdough bread, offering a satisfying crunch and a subtle nutty aroma. The crust is gloriously crispy, giving way to a tender and airy interior that acts as a canvas for the culinary masterpiece that awaits.  Spread generously across the toasted bread is a velvety and vibrant green pea mash.  

On the side are two perfectly poached eggs, elegantly draped with a luscious hollandaise sauce. The eggs, with their silky and golden yolks, offer a luxurious richness that blends flawlessly with the creamy hollandaise.

Cauliflower and pumpkin salad. 
This salad is not only visually appealing but is also a tantalizing symphony of flavors. It has a delightful medley of flavors and textures with pieces of feta cheese. Its velvety texture creates a creamy interplay, making every forkful a delightful experience. 
  The delectable salad dressing complements the ingredients perfectly. Its delicate balance of tanginess and creaminess adds a delightful zing to each bite.

Cass chose a Snow White Veggie set as she had already eaten something at home and wasn't very hungry.  It's toasted sourdough with scrambled egg whites, grilled veggies and salad.

Mushroom Carbonara (very delish) with a side of two sunny side-ups (hubby's favorite). 
 The star of this dish is a medley of succulent mushrooms, sautéed to perfection. With their earthy and meaty essence, the mushrooms provide a robust foundation for the carbonara. This luscious sauce is a decadent amalgamation of grated Parmesan cheese, and hints of garlic and black pepper. Its silky texture enrobes the pasta, creating a luxurious mouthfeel that is truly irresistible. 

For dessert, I chose a hazelnut tart and hubs picked a mango & cheese slice cake.

Hubs also ordered a cup of macadamia nut brittle from Haagen Dazs from the stall at the concourse area, next to Nutmeg.

Full house at Nutmeg, a favorite haunt amongst locals and Caucasians.

Next up - we had tea and cake at Bisou Bake Shop, a little kiosk-style store owned by hubby's friend's wife. Decadent and beautifully decorated cupcakes, slab cake pieces, and cookies in a variety of flavors are for sale. 
I told hubs that I couldn't possibly stuff in more food, especially cakes, but hubs insisted that we had another round of celebration, this time with a candle on the cake 😆

 

Hubs bought a pack each of Mee Siam and Nasi Lemak (RM6.50 a pack each) to try, daintily wrapped in batik print wax papers.  We brought these home for dinner.

Later in the evening, Alycia brought home a slice of Pandan Gula Melaka slice cake from Front Room for me!

My favorite brownie cake from Brownies Bar from Sherilyn.

The following day, just before Alycia left for uni in the morning, she hurriedly prepped some pancakes to surprise me while I went for my morning exercise.

Homemade pancakes from the girl who never likes cooking or baking.  💓

The pancakes were surprisingly very good - soft, fluffy and tasty. There are still some in the fridge and I air-fry one for breakfast every day.

Haru Our Cheeky Kitty

Haru loves to find new places inside the house, to hide. Most times she will come out of hiding when I shake her biscuit jar or mention "biscuit" or "chicken", her favorite foods. 

Early this week, this cheeky kitty ignored my calls for her.   Both Cass and I went around the house searching for her, for about 10 minutes, at all her usual hiding spots, but she was no where to be found.  I went to the refuse chamber outside our unit to look for her, I checked the emergency stairs outside our unit, the two balconies, under the beds, but she was no where to be found. We were convinced that Haru had sneaked out of the house and gone forever. 

That feeling I had felt familiar. It was the sick feeling whenever I lost sight of my girls at the shopping mall when they were younger.  That few seconds of loosing sight of them and yelling out to them, only to get no answer from them.  That horrible sick feeling in the stomach and head just thinking that they were kidnapped or lost forever.  Speaking of which, Sherilyn used to like hiding inside racks of clothes at the shopping mall to scare the living daylights out of me when she was younger.  That mischievous brat! 😂

One of Haru's favorite hiding spots - behind the living room curtain.

Another new favorite hiding spot - under Cass' bed

Yet another new hiding spot - on the bookshelf. She kind of camo herself with the shelf because of her color.

Naughty fella always causes me panic attacks but love her to bits.

Sunday Eats ~ Lunch at Saemaeul BBQ Korean Restaurant and Desserts at Bu Tian

Seoul Korea, our favorite Korean restaurant was still closed, so we went to Kuchai Entrepreneurs Park, a place with a legion of eateries to hunt for a Korean BBQ restaurant.  We chose Saemaeul as someone in the car commented that the food is good but another sister commented otherwise. We went to this restaurant anyway as it was already late and everyone was hungry.

We ordered a BBQ set consisting of beef, pork, and octopus, a seafood pancake, Jajangmyeon, Naengmyeon (Cold Noodles), a Korean bento rice box, seaweed rice balls (Jumeokbap), and kimchi soup.  

The BBQ pork and beef had too many veins, which made it difficult for us to swallow and enjoy them.  The octopus tasted strange (which must be from the marinade sauces) and had an overpowering chemical smell to it, which was unpleasant.  The Jajangmyeon was also disappointing and it was left almost untouched.  

After waiting forever for the handmade seaweed rice balls to be grilled, they finally came at the end of the meal. And again, we were disappointed with how insipid they tasted.

The Banchan (appetizers) were satisfactory, but not as good as those from Seoul Korea restaurant. 

I must say that Sherilyn can cook a much better Korean meal than what we had today.

All of us left feeling disappointed despite paying over RM300 for the meal.  

In spite of the underwhelming lunch, we ended our meal on a high note by visiting Bu Tian, a cafe that specializes in matcha desserts and beverages. The scrumptious desserts at Bu Tian are made using high-quality matcha from Niko Neko, which gives them a unique and delicious flavor.

The matcha drinks at Bu Tian were also exceptional and everyone thoroughly enjoyed them. The matcha green tea and Chinese tea were sui generis.  It was the first time that I drank tea served in this manner.  Both the matcha and Chinese tea were served to us in a medium size transparent glass cup.  Each set of tea was accompanied by a smaller transparent flower-shaped cup, along with a metal glass holder and a leaf-shaped sieve with bits of tea on top.

And the correct way of drinking the tea to enjoy the flavor and aroma of the tea to its max is by pouring the tea from the medium-sized cup into the smaller flower-shaped cup through the leaf-shaped sieve with bits of tea on the sieve. This presentation was not only unique but also Instagram-worthy.  The aroma of both the tea, especially the matcha green tea is superb.

While the lunch at Saemaeul was mediocre and did not meet our expectations, the desserts and matcha beverages at Bu Tian more than made up for it. We left the cafe with a sense of satisfaction and contentment, and would definitely recommend it to anyone who is looking for quality matcha desserts and beverages.

BBQ pork and beef, seafood pancake and Korean bento rice box (served in a metal lunch box).

BBQ octopus and garlic. This was left almost untouched.

Banchan. 

BBQ Seaweed rice balls (Jumeokbap)

Our exquisite and delectable desserts at Bu Tian.  

Japanese Tea Sandwich Cookie Box - this is SO SO good. One bite and I was in a dessert coma 😁

Tripe Matcha sliced cake. SO SO good too, and I was in a triple dessert coma!

Tiramisu tart - oh so yummy but I felt a tad giddy after just two bites, coz of the alcohol in the cake. I am that hopeless when it comes to imbibing.

I want to try them all!

So tempted to try the Moon Tart Set. Bet they're just as delicious but the price!

Sherilyn's matcha latte - love the taste of the matcha from Niko Neko.

My favorite matcha green tea - so sui generis and am utterly in love with the aroma of the tea. 

My first time drinking green tea in this fashion.

Very spacious cafe but not many tables, thus the long queue outside.

Bu Tian is located on the first floor.

Bu Tian

16-1, Jalan Indrahana 1, Kuchai Lama,

Kuala Lumpur, 58200

Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia

Tel: 01133206680

How Bad Is It To Eat Chicken Skin?

Today I steamed bone-in chicken thighs and blanched Siew Bok Choy for dinner.  The chicken thighs were kampung (village) chicken, with thick yellow skin.  I marinated the chicken with some salt, oyster sauce, and Chinese cooking wine. I also threw in some ginger slices and wolfberries.  Sherilyn loved the chicken thighs so much that she ate two whole thighs!  

I later found out that this girl even devoured the greasy chicken skin from both the chicken thighs. All of them! And this is something that I've always disapproved of. I've always advised the girls to discard chicken skin when they eat chicken as it's greasy, high in calories, and unhealthy. 

This made me wonder - is chicken skin really that bad for your health? 

Let's explore the pros and cons of eating chicken skin.

Chicken skin is a delicious and often irresistible part of a chicken dish, but there are mixed opinions about how healthy it is to eat. Some people avoid eating chicken skin altogether, while others relish it as the best part of a chicken meal.

According to Insider, most of the fat in chicken skin is the healthy, unsaturated kind, beneficial to your heart.  According to the Harvard School of Public Health, unsaturated fat can be associated with lowering your cholesterol and blood pressure.  

Tonight's dinner of steamed village chicken

Pros of Eating Chicken Skin

Flavor: Chicken skin is a rich source of flavor and can make a chicken dish more enjoyable to eat. The skin adds a crispy texture to the dish, and when seasoned and cooked properly, it can add a depth of flavor that is difficult to replicate.

Nutrition: Chicken skin is a good source of protein and healthy fats. It contains vitamin E, which is an antioxidant that can help protect your body from damage caused by free radicals. Chicken skin also contains niacin, which is important for maintaining healthy skin, nerves, and digestion.

Cons of Eating Chicken Skin

High in Calories: Chicken skin is high in calories and saturated fat. A 3.5-ounce serving of chicken skin contains approximately 475 calories and 44 grams of fat, with 14 grams being saturated fat. Eating too much saturated fat can increase your cholesterol levels and increase your risk of heart disease.

May Contain Harmful Substances: Chicken skin may contain harmful substances such as antibiotics, hormones, and pesticides. These substances are used in commercial chicken farming to promote growth and prevent diseases, and they can accumulate in the chicken skin. Consuming these substances can lead to health problems, including antibiotic resistance and hormonal imbalances.

How Bad Is It To Eat Chicken Skin?

Eating chicken skin in moderation is generally not bad for your health. If you are watching your calorie and fat intake, it is best to remove the skin before cooking. However, if you enjoy the taste and texture of chicken skin, you can eat it in moderation as part of a healthy diet. The key is to balance your intake of chicken skin with other healthy foods that are low in calories and fat. Don't forget to include lots of colorful vegetables and fruits in your daily diet.

In conclusion, eating chicken skin can add flavor and nutrition to your meal, but it is also high in calories and saturated fat. If you are trying to maintain a healthy diet, it is best to limit your intake of chicken skin and remove it before cooking. However, if you enjoy the taste and texture of chicken skin, you can eat it in moderation as part of a balanced diet. Remember to always choose high-quality chicken from reputable sources to avoid harmful substances and promote good health.

 

Brunch At Antipodean Cafe @ Mid Valley Megamall

* Throwback post *

19 April 2023

Our main reason for making a trip to Mid Valley Megamall was to bring Sherilyn to shop for a pair of Nike shoes.  All of us bought new Nike shoes from the Nike Outlet @ Mitsui Outlet Park @ KLIA last month and she was left out as it was the first day of her part-time job at Barcook Bakery and didn't follow us to the airport to send off the mil.  Her doting dad promised to bring her to Mitsui Outlet Park to shop for shoes on the day that her grandma returns from Hong Kong. But her grandma’s stay in HK has been extended, and the girl needs new black shoes for her work place, thus our trip to Mid Valley Megamall.

We chose Antipodean Café for a leisurely mid-morning meal. We’d really enjoyed their big breakfast set and other items from their menu when we dined at the Antipodean outlet in Bangsar several years ago when it was newly opened. So, we surmised that their outlet at Mid Valley Megamall would serve the same quality of food too.

Hubby’s Big Breakfast Set came with eggs, sausage, fried potato cube, mushrooms, salad, and toast. Cass and I shared the Shakshuka with avocado, a Middle Eastern dish of eggs cooked in a spiced tomato sauce with peppers and onions.  Alycia ordered a bacon on French Toast and Sherilyn went for a Whakatiki chicken burger which came with crispy chicken, salad, and fries.

While we enjoyed our meal as a family outing, we couldn't help but notice that the quality of the food at this particular Antipodean outlet seemed to have dropped in comparison with our past experiences at the Bangsar outlet about 8 years ago. The food was good, but not as fantastic as we once enjoyed.

The Big Breakfast Set was decent, with all the usual components of a classic breakfast platter. However, we felt that some of the items were a bit lackluster in flavor.  The sausage in the breakfast set tasted strongly of chemical (chlorine) and we didn’t finish the single sausage on the plate.  The sausages at the Antipodean Bangsar outlet years ago were one of the tastiest we'd tried but we're not sure if the quality is still the same now.

The Shakshuka was flavorful, but lacks ‘oomph’ and the portion is pretty small for the price that we paid. I think Sherilyn’s homecooked Shakshuka beats this one hands down.  The Bacon with French Toast was a crowd-pleaser, with the salty bacon balancing out the sweet maple syrup.

The fried chicken pattie in the Whakatiki Chicken Burger was crispy and generously thick but somewhat dry. 

Overall, while we weren't blown away by the food at the Mid Valley outlet of Antipodean cafe, we still had an enjoyable brunch together as a family. The cafe had a semi al fresco relaxed and cozy atmosphere. If you're in the area and looking for a decent breakfast or brunch spot, Antipodean cafe is worth checking out, but don't expect the same level of quality as the Bangsar outlet.

Whakatiki Chicken Burger 

Shakshuka with avocado

French toast with bacon

Big Breakfast

Piccolo latte

Pretty costly brunch and I wasn't even half full.  

While I went grocery shopping, hubs took Sherilyn shopping for shoes at JD.   And he surprised me with burgers from Carl's Jr, our favorite burger place, though the burgers are a tad pricey.

Sunday, 23 April 2023

Nothing brings our family closer than sharing a delicious meal together. Last Sunday I spent some quality time with my three girls over lunch at our favorite Korean restaurant, Kimchitiam.  Just the four of us as hubs was in Kota Kinabalu.  These days, it's hard for me to have a decent meal together with the three girls as they each have their own activities every day.

I ordered a meat-free bibimbap, a Korean rice bowl topped with a variety of colorful vegetables, a fried egg, and served with gochujang sauce. The dish was served hot and steaming in a clay pot, with the ingredients beautifully arranged on top of a bed of fluffy white rice. The combination of flavors and textures was truly outstanding, and my favorite part of the dish besides the veggies is the crispy rice at the bottom of the clay pot.

My meat-free Bibimbap, delish nonetheless.  I'm now on a Flexitarian Diet and eat mostly veggies and eggs on a daily basis. On days that I eat meat, the meat is either chicken breast, lean pork, or fish.

Sherilyn ordered marinated bbq pork, a dish that never fails to satisfy our taste buds. The meat was tender and succulent, with a perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors. The pork bbq slices were already cooked for us and they were accompanied by a huge basket of fresh lettuce.

Alycia ordered her favorite stew soy pork, a hearty and comforting dish. The broth was rich and flavorful, with tender chunks of pork, big onions and vegetables simmering within. She always orders this dish whenever we dine at Kimchitiam.

Cass ordered beef bulgogi soup, a Korean dish that features thinly sliced beef marinated in a sweet and savory sauce and cooked in a beef broth with various vegetables. The word "bulgogi" means "fire meat" in Korean, and it is typically made by grilling or stir-frying the beef. In the case of beef bulgogi soup, the beef is simmered in a soup base that is made from beef bones, radish, onion, garlic, and other seasonings. 

After leaving a review on Google, we got a 10% discount off the total bill, which came up to almost RM100.  We of course left a good review as we’ve always enjoyed our meals at Kimchitiam, except for one isolated case in January this year where I chewed on some sand in the spinach appetizer. That meal made me a few hundred Ringgit poorer as I had to get my teeth fixed at the dentist.  I informed the owner, who’s a Korean dude and he promised to give me a free meal on my next visit.  But when we were there on Sunday, the owner wasn’t at the restaurant.  

We really enjoyed our Korean lunch. It was a simple, quiet but happy Sunday for us, and we felt recharged and content after our time together. We left with full stomachs and happy hearts, already looking forward to our next visit.

Back home, Cass made mango lassi for everyone. It was simply refreshing and yummy!  She used Farmer's Union Greek-style yogurt, which gives the mango lassi a very creamy texture. It's also very smooth as she blitzed the mango + yogurt three times in the Blendtec blender.

Rayung Thai Restaurant @ Taman Danau Desa

Last Sunday, we were planning to have lunch at Seoul Korea Korean restaurant but the restaurant was unexpectedly closed. So we walked a few shops away to Rayung Thai, Sherilyn’s favorite Thai restaurant. She used to eat at this restaurant with her friends after school, before attending tuition at a nearby tuition center. 

We ordered 12 dishes, including appetizers, main courses, and desserts. The food arrived promptly, and we were immediately struck by the vibrant colors and aromas of the dishes. 

We started with the pineapple fried rice, which paired very well with the hot and spicy dishes.  The Tom Yum soup with seafood and mushrooms had a rich and complex flavour, and was very spicy.

The mango salad was a refreshing and light dish, but the cili padi gave it a very spicy kick. The salad was tossed with half-ripened mangoes, carrots, peanuts, and a tangy dressing. The cold and very aromatic pandan and lemongrass drink that I ordered was a great palate cleanser after the spicy tom yum soup.

For our main courses, we ordered a variety of dishes, including Pad Thai, Green Curry, stir-fried kailan, fried pandan chicken, omelet, fried Thai fish cake, and steamed fish. All the dishes were packed with flavor and delicious. 

For dessert, we ordered mango sticky rice and Tub Tim Grob (Thai red rubies dessert). Both desserts were delicious, with the perfect balance of sweetness, coconut milk, and texture.

However, as much as we enjoyed the food, we found that the spiciness of the dishes was too much for us. We had stomach discomfort and hubs even had diarrhea the next day, which put a damper on our overall experience.

Despite the after-effects, we would still highly recommend Rayung Thai for its authentic food at reasonable prices. Just be mindful of the spiciness levels. You may wish to tell the staff who's taking your order to inform the chef to reduce the spiciness level of your dishes.  Just be prepared for some spice, and you'll be in for a treat.

Pineapple fried rice and Pad Thai

Spicy mango salad

Green curry

Fried Thai fish cake

Stir-fried kailan

Fried pandan chicken

Spicy tom yum soup

Omelet

The steamed fish arrived last and by then, everyone was too stuffed. So we had the fish packed for dinner.

Tub Tim Grob (Thai Red Rubies dessert)

Mango sticky rice.