Happy Bday ML!!! (in advance)

Great food and company as JA and I celebrated ML's bday in advance at Ember restaurant. Special mention must be made for the exceptional level of service given while we were there. Had rump of lamb myself done still pink inside with cous cous while JA and ML both had Confit of duck as their main course. Have to say that this was one of the better duck confit I've tried with the flavours well balanced and not overly salty. Excellent! ML also loved his appetizer of pork knuckle terrine. A very pricey place though, going to have to go back to eating grass in June. Hahahaha!

See the full gallery on Posterous

Posted via email from Sam's posterous

Treats from Japan!

Tokyo Bananas :P

Places to go in Penang:

Places to go in Penang:

Guerney drive
Mount Erskine
Georgetown
Penang Hill
Snake temple
Batu Ferringhi
Bukit Tambun
Eco Park
Campbell st, Guerney Plaza, queensbay, rope walk, little India, lorong
kulit

Batuk Ferringhi & Georgetown are definitely tourist traps, but that
being said, are the choice locations to stay. Ease of travelling,
vicinity to attractions and a vibrant nightlife more than make up for
the slightly higher accomodation prices. The various night pasar
malams are great for strolling in e cool evening breeze.

Taking a trishaw around Georgetown is an idyllic way to spend the day.
Try to bargain below 25RM per hour and it is worth it. Some of the
heritage sites charge for entry, but the only two worth paying for are
the Nonya/Baba clan house and the Khoo Kong Si clan temple.

Remember to bring your driving license. Taxi are hard to find and
expensive to boot. So rent a car if there are more than 3 of you.
Buses are also a good alternative to taxi.

Penang Hill is fantastic for the view and fresh air, but little else
to do up there. The 4RM tram ticket isn't overpriced at least. Avoid
the crowds at weekends and sweltering mid-day sun. Best times are
either early mornings or near Sunset with a view from e restaurants.
David Brown's restaurant is a upmarket place that commands the best
view on the hill. It serves classical English foods with an excellent
selection of roasts. Had the beef Wellington and J.A had Steak &
Mushroom pie. Both were excellent, with quality shining through. We
were stuck on the hill top after clouds closed in and the skies
crashed down on us, but with a bottle of wine and a warm fireplace
(sadly fake), we happily soaked up the atmosphere till late in the
night and caught the last tram down at 11pm.

Highlights:
1) Char kway teow @ Lorong Selamat's KAFE HENG HUAT.
2) Hawkers at gurney drive nice oyster omelette and wanton noodle.
3) Ferranghi Gardens @ Batuk Ferringhi Grilled Red Snapper with cheese very unique. Pineapple rice was very fresh & I like it that it in came in a freshly cut pineapple.
4) Beef Wellington @ David Brown's. 55RM it was by far the most expensive meal of the trip and portions weren't large either. The taste though more than made up for it. Perfectly executed!

I was hoping to not need this section, but couldn't in all fairness
leave this out. To think that it was only on the last day is a silver
lining at least. Enjoying meal after meal of great food, this really
disappointed:

"Low"light:

1) Jawa Mee - a Chinese version of Mee Rubus, it was cloyingly sweet
and disgustingly sticky
2) ALL of the food at Sunshine foodcourt opposite Sunshine plaza. The
food here is just sad... Feels like it was cooked by souless robots.

p.s. Photos will be added at a later date.

Sent from my iPhone

Childhood Memories

Can you pick out which one used to your favourite or favouriteS?

Very Full @ Michael Caines

Lunch was a grazing affair at Michael Caine's in Abode Manchester with many dainty little dishes to excite your palette in different ways. The idea of a western dim sum style lunch to have as much choice as possible without over stuffing oneself was well executed here as I was thoroughly satisfied.

The marrying of Asian herbs with scallops was skilfully done and the Japanese mushrooms with sesame seaweed and bean sprouts that accompanied the fish served as a refreshing counterpoint to the strong lemongrass foam sauce.

Not that the classical European styled dishes were lacking in any quality either! The duck risotto is probably one of the best risotto I've ever had and I really hope it is something the chef can pull off consistently and not just an one-off on the day. Nothing much to say about the lamb as it was just classically cooked, but very flavourful and presented very elegantly.

Overall, 3.8/5 as I felt the chef was a little too enthusiastic about using foam as a novelty point in the dishes. It loses to Room's rating of 4.25/5 only for price, even when not using the Magnificent 7 offer they have in Room. Service was very friendly and attentive (might have to do with how only 3 tables were occupied) and the staff knew the menu well. Very enjoyable experience and I am looking forward to returning and try the set lunch menu.

Duck confit risotto -

Wild mushrooms

Pan-fried scallops -

Caramelised cauliflower purée,
sweet raisin vinaigrette and cauliflower
and cumin velouté

Best-end of Herdwick lamb

Onion and thyme purée, fondant potato
and tapenade jus

Slow poached sea bass -

Thai purée, stir-fry of mangetout,
shiitake mushrooms and bean sprouts
with lemongrass foam

Passion fruit soufflée -

vanilla bourbon ice cream

Millefeuille banana parfait -

caramelised banana and lime coulis

Pictures to DIE for

*first few pictures from one of my all time favourite floggers (food blogger) www.chubbyhubby.net

Pancakes n such

Here's round two of the damage/toll singapore's taking on my tummy. I am pretty certain I'll be putting on all the weight I lost in manc. Time period for weight lost: 3 months Time period of weight gained: 3 weeks!


A plethora of desserts available when I had high tea with my mom




This was the best in the range. Green tea ice-cream pancake drizzled with almonds and raisins. Had banana caramel pancake too! Sinful decadence..



Was really stuffed after the high tea with my mom, so dinner was pushed all the way to near 11pm for me. Went to a typical Singaporean Hawker Centre, hooray! Teh O Peng Kosong! Haha, standard order for me. Anyway, here's what we, the Jook gang of ML, Chat, RB and Me, ordered


Dumpling soup



Cheese n Mushroom Burger. Good one ah. Ho EH! The beef patty is handmade and not those frozen pre-processed kind you buy from supermarkets. For $3.30, POWER

Cheese Fries~~

From 7-11. It's black, it's white, it's dupa dup bap yeah yeah yeah!

bored and making faces when mom snapped this pic

ML

RB (talking to his dear)

Me and Chat



OKIE, next few targets on my list for my "Dun care liaoz, just eat and get fat" foods I must eat before leaving: Chicken Rice, Bedok 85, Old Airport Road, Joo Chiat and... anything else? Here's a preview of what should come soon :P

On the 1st day of ..

Xmas was a nice and simple affair at home. Had a bbq, exchange of gifts, great company, laughs and music till the nite grew old and the morn young :P Not alot of pics this year as we were all busy indulging in the company of each other. It's great to be among old pals. Thanks for great times, as usual, everyone!

Damages so far..

This is for all the dear ones in Manchester... :P

Round 1:


Cod Fish Head Curry

with the various accompanying dishes like kai lan, onion omelette and cod fish tofu stick. OF COURSE I ORDERED TEH O PENG SIU TAI :P

Yeah baby the rest of the pics.. nuff said