Delicious Test Menu, Dua Annex

Lately, for me culinary experiences, all good things seem to come from The Lord, and Marian Eu Hooi Khaw. I got an invite recently, for a food sampling of the proposed new menu for Delicious.



Ah, 7.50, I beat the KL Jam by making a few smart detours, and taking the back lanes to emerge on the right side of Jalan Tun Razak. I have to say that after all these years, the lighted up Twin Towers is a spectacular sight, juxtaposed against the naked dark sky.

Of all the Delicious outlets, the one at Dua Annex is my favourite. Although the one at Bangsar Village is nearest to me, it strikes me as one of those places people go to be seen, and me being shy as I am, shy away from places like that unless I have no choice. I meet Poh Lin, the Marketing Boss of Delicious, whom I have also met at JHP's baking class last year. (Her tongue is featured in that post)

After the cursory hallos with our fellow diners, we start with a lovely starter of deep fried shrimp, that called out for a beer. However, I had no drinking company, so had to content myself with water.





An amazing garlic bread with an even more amazing tomato salsa. Very good.





Deep Fried calamari with Tom Yam dip was a winner. The dip was absolutely gorgeous. Bunga Kantan in a thick mayonaisse cum thousand island dressing kind of combination. Lovely.


French Fries Doused With Truffle Oil. I personally would have preferred it without the parmesan cheese that was scattered on top, tilting the entire dish to the salty side, and fries are usually already salty on its own. It also overpowered the subtle truffle oil, which really should be the star of this dish. Fries, truffles, heck, you cant really go wrong.


I have always been intrigued by the concept of the peanut butter banana sandwich, which Nigella Lawson, my goddess, demonstrated in one of her programs, inspired by the King himself, Elvis Presley. Apparently it was one of his favourites. I remember her frying the bread in liberal doses of butter, in a combination that looked shockingly unhealthy but divinely tasty all at once. This version seemed a bit healthier, as the bread wasn't swimming in butter.


Brioche wrapped in beef bacon (my hand quivers whenever I type those words.....bbbbeeef bacon...stammmering)....and perfectly done half boiled eggs. Oh, in case you hadn't figured it out, this was the "Breakfast" portion of the tasting menu. But who eats half boiled eggs in those elegant little egg stands??? Aiyo, I like my eggs in a bowl, with soya sauce and pepper. You're meant to dip (I think) the brioche into the eggs, in polite movements.


Croissant, scrambled eggs and smoked salmon. I could easily have this for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The creamy scrambled eggs, still runny, but not yolky, despite its sunshine yellow appearance.

We move on to the Salads.





Trio of Japanese salad. For the health enthusiast, the slimy seaweed offers lots of nutritional benefits. It was a tad fishy for me, and the taste of raw seaweed made me feel like a dugong grazing in the grassy waters of the South China Sea, just before being mowed down by errant motorboats.





Crabmeat tart. Absolutely loved the buttery pastry encasing the tart. The crabmeat was a bit overpowered by the eggy filling.





For those who don't like the taste of crab, but enjoy its complex texture, then this tart would be crab nirvana, as there is barely a hint of crabbiness or marine life.


Someone said they saw the Macdonalds delivery guy at the door. Kidding. The fish burger, which originally Abby kept saying, Chicken Burger...and all of us were looking at the menu perplexed. The Pescatarian (not Presbyterian) American couple next to me were thinking, Oh no, yet another inedible item for them. (Unless some of my half past six pescatarian friends who dont mind meat tainted food, this couple are stricter, and declined to partake of dishes that had been tainted with meat). Turns out, Abby was confused, and it was actually butterfish.





Portobello Burger, for the vegetarians, and pescatarians. As long as there is a meat eating bone left in me, I doubt this will rank high on my "must order" list.


Cross section of the butterfish burger.


Sour Plum Fizzy. Frozen asam boi in sprite. Interesting, but a bit too sweet for me.


Lamb kebabs With Yoghurt sauce, and mediterranean salad.





Wagyu Rump with three dipping sauces, Bernaise, Mushroom Reduction, and one other. As my beef palate has forever been spoilt by Michael Elfwing in the Senses lunch, I think I am unqualified to comment on any beef dish from thence forth and forevermore.


Oxtail Meehoon. A local version of what seemed to be a combination of the Vietnamese pho, and our local soup ekor, with hints of a chinese herbal soup, with chinese wolfenberries, and star anise. The garlic chilli sauce, with hints of fish sauce, added kick to the dish.





Balinese Chicken With Rice. Apparently this is a family favourite with the Delicious owners, and they have kindly offered it to the world.


Gravy Boat anchors over the Hainanese chicken chop. Mention hainanese chicken chop, and straightaway memories of Yut Kee, Coliseum and all the other old hainanese and now defunct establishments come to mind. They might be better off not making any Hainanese reference to the Chicken Chop, or just call it Delicious Chicken Chop, as it sets all kinds of expectations.


One of my favourite dishes of the night. Tuna meatballs with Pesto pasta. Yummy. The texture of the meatballs was interesting, without being dry, or bland, as tuna can sometimes be. The pasta and sauce were a marriage made in heaven. This I could eat a whole plate.


The other pasta.....with beef bacon, and a tomato based creamy sauce, which I found too rich. But if you're into rich pastas, hey, knock yourself out with this dish.


The two prominent ladies at the helm of delicious. Abby and May. Lovely bubbly fun.


Baked Cherry Chocolate cake, rich moist chocolate with a dark cherries somewhere inside.


Macadamia caramel cheesecake, which the Pescatarian Americans loved, but I found too sweet.



My favourite dessert, the coconut cake, LOVELLLY light layers of ethereal sponge, with layers of gelatinized coconut water I think, in between and smothered with a generous layer of fresh cream, coated in fresh grated coconut, not dessicated. Light, refreshing, and a MUST order for me.


The boys proceeded to strip the cake.

Felda Hotsprings, Sungkai, And Pusing Public Redux

As we've established, overseas holidays in Spain, or dinner in Hanoi are out of the question when you are a mere mortal raising a brood of four. Not that I would trade them for the world. Anyway, as necessity in the mother of invention, or innovation, we are always on the look out for CHEAP affordable and value for money holidays. Hence, thank God for AirAsia, or we'd not have stepped out of the country in the last 6 years.

School holidays are always an exciting time. The thought of having breakfast with the kids at our regular kopitiams, the incessant noise, the fighting for computer time, etc. This year, for the long holidays, we decided to explore some Cuti cuti Malaysia destinations, and remembered reading about the Sg Klah Felda Hotsprings in the NST some time ago. But like all MALAYSIA BOLEH things, there was NO phone number, no contact, nothing at all, to show us where this veritable Garden of Eden lay. So, thank goodness for the internet.

Actually, surprisingly, the Felda Hotsprings have an impressive website, and really, you gotta hand it to these people, they are genuinely friendly. "Oh, book sahaja, tak payah kredit kad, bila datang aje bayar la". (oh, just go ahead and book. No need for credit card details. Pay when you get hear) Now, no commercial chinkie operation will let you get away with that. On airasia, you change your flight because you have a flatulence attack oso they will whack you with a surcharge.

Anyway, being the perenial skeptic, I lowered my expectations to the lowest possible bar on the rung, although instinctively, I knew it was probably good. RM180 nett per night, for room and breakfast! Bonus! When we reached, wife found flyer that said, weekday special, RM150 net per night, for room, breakfast AND DINNER! WOW!

The torrential monsoons were upon us when we arrived, but that didnt stop me from being impressed already! The rooms were very nice. Large, spacious, clean, decent bathrooms, AND, free extra mattress thrown in for our fellow rakyat who have an average of 8 kids per family. Mind you, my brood of 4 already reaped the benefit from the extra mattress. Nooo, we did not take just one room.

The sprawling grounds, nestled in what must have been an oil palm estate, boasts 64 rooms, several villas (self contained, with kitchen and 3 bedrooms, which were fully booked, despite the RM800 per day price tag), a gorgeous spa village, with private hotspring pools, for those who do not wish to mingle with the rabble, family spa pools, RM75 for 8 people, therapeutic pools, reflexology paths with rivulets of hot spring water, one HUMONGOUS olympic sized hot spring pool, and one HUMONGOUS cold water pool with mountain spring water. Think of bathing in a large pool of Evian....except spoilt by the thronging masses of fully clothed people. Again, there is a choice, you can opt for exclusive family spas. Me, I am a rakyat and proud of it, so had no qualms basking in the public pools. (also a cheapskate la. Not gonna pay RM25 per person for a private hot pool when its free elsewhere).

The rooms. Clean and large.


The Large Hot Springs Pool


Can see the steam rising in the background. Water from the hotsprings are channelled here.


The water source.


This picture is not doctored. The steam around the area is that misty! Those kids are walking along the reflexology path.


Smaller therapy pools, ranging from 35-40C.


The cold water mountain springs pool with slides and fountains.





The modern chalet style rooms.


The SPA village.





If this was a vineyard in Tuscany, the price would be how much in Euro? All we need now is for palm wine that can be sold at a premium.





The fully clothed masses in the pools.


There are some springs that are so hot, 100C you can boil an egg.


The boiled egg. Very tasty. Just a tip. Next time bring your own eggs, and soya sauce, and disposable bowls. Nothing like gorgeous half boiled eggs cooked by Mother Nature's Hot Spring Water.

After the Hotsprings, we proceeded to Ipoh, but not before stopping for lunch at Bidor.

Freshly baked chicken biscuits are absolutely gorgeous and addictive. Not cheap. RM3 for a bag of 8 or 10. But it can be whacked in one go, easily. The aroma is really fantastic, despite the absence of lard.


Trust the Chinese to animalise everything.


Mushu? Wushu anyone?


I celebrated my 43rd (ARGH!!!!!!) birthday in Pusing Public, Ipoh, with a fabulous dinner, courtesy of my dear brother in law.
I didn't know this the first time round, but this time, we found out that this was actually an EUNUCK, ie, castrated chicken. Eunuch Cluck. No wonder it was sooo tasty.






This amazing pomfret is cooked two ways. Fried on one side, and steamed on the other. I've seen those filleted fish, where the flesh is steamed, but the bones deep fried. But this is somethign else. Fried on one side, and steamed on the other! HOW? !!!!


The lovely sang meen. Very nice, crispy, doused in gravy which makes it chewy all again.








Amongst the many greeting I got, a few asked, "Who is baking your birthday cake, FBB?". Her name apparently is Josephine, or Jo's workers did it. The tiramisu, which wife bought from a trendy cafe in Ipoh, costs RM110. Isnt that like the GDP of Ipoh? Exorbitant, even by KL standards. Circumferenced with non dairy cream for that pure white effect. Son remarked on the absence of booze.

Thanks everyone for the birthday greetings!!!

How to get to the hotsprings: Up the north south highway, turn off at Sungkai toll before Bidor. However, if need to eat at Bidor, its only 13km away. After the Sungkai toll, turn left, follow the signs. 1km from the turn, turn left again. It is SURPRISINGLY WELL SIGN POSTED, and anyone with half an eye couldnt miss it.

Spanish Wine Pairing Dinner

When You Wish Upon A Star, ...makes no difference who you are, anything your heart desires will comeeee to you..... from Walt Disney's Pinocchio.

No, I was not wishing to be a real boy, nor that any of my puppets became a real boy, or girl. I was merely dreaming of Spain. Unlike some of my well heeled friends, I cant go traipsing around Spain, sampling all the culinary (apparently pronounced KIEW LINARY, not CULL inary, as in Culling Pigs with the Nipah Virus) treasures the country has to offer.

Alas, the stars in Kuala Lumpur's polluted skies aren't very bright either, and I wasnt sure if I was wishing upon the Measat Satellite, or a blinking aeroplane, but hey, whaddaya know, I get an invite from my good pal, Peter Yew of the Cava Opus Leonardo Moxie Chain, for a SPANISH WINE PAIRING DINNER WITH GUEST CHEF FERNANDO MARTINEZ TABERNO. I was allowed to call 3 others, and drum roll, the lucky guests for the night were .....the inimitable Alison Joan Victor, of Red FM Fame, and equally as hot as Red, the perpetual comedian, Frat Mustard, and the ever reliable Nipple Joe.









We started with the octopus carpaccio potato confit and Pimento Oil....the bummer about posting these things a few weeks after the event is these alcohol infused brain cells cant recall the exact flavours. But this I do remember, the Spanish omelette with Bacalao and Piquillo Peppers was sublime. The glass contained Gazpcho with Baqquerones, Piquillo Peppers. It must have slipped my brain to ask what Piquillo Peppers are, coz I now have NO idea what they are. Chicken rolls stuffed with dry fruit formed the missing link in the platter. These were paired with the Pag del Vicario Talva 2005, Chardonnay Savignon Blanc. We had earlier been apperitiffing on Castellblanch Cristal Brut Cava, the very VERY drinkable Spanish version of the bubbly.


Lighting here sucked big time by the way, hence the lousy pics. A bad workman blames his tools, and a lousy photographer blames the light. The Prawn Salad with Tomato Marmalade and Cauliflower Sauce was good for me. My fellow comrades had some mushy prawns, but mine were all ay okay, and the prawns sweet and succulent. Frat discovered his cream was missing, and asked the waiter to cream his plate.


Life is a bed of roses for some people. Chicks gawk at him, and he gets to live life in a designer coffee tin.








Mains were a choice of Tenderloin Beef encroute with poultry musseline (not related to the more famous Moussolini, the Italian fler), Lubina stuffed with seafood and vegetable confit and calamari crisp, or Lamb Chops with Membrillo Aioli, red Pepper confit and gratinated potatoes. Of the three, I'd say the tenderloin was probably the best. To be honest, the Lubina, which is a fish, I think, stuffed with all the stuff was so so.

The mains were paired with a Pago del Vicario Penta 2005, Tempranillo Merlot Cabernet Syrah Petit Verdot. (finger cramp after typing all that)


Can You Hear the drums Fernando? I dunno why, but when I sang this line, Frat burst out laughing. Yeah, the handsome chappie is the spanish guest chef. Very friendly, and took time to explain to us this and that. Alas, some of us were rather sloshed by this time.


The Spanish cheese platter with the lovely quince paste was a perfect end to the dinner. Paired with Pago del vicario 50-50 2005, Tempranillo Cabernet. Some of the other dinner guest on the long table didnt care for cheese. Less men more share I say!

Check out my cheese, says Frat.



Caramelized Torrijas With Nougat Soup. Frankly, it looked like oatmeal or some healthy gunky breakfast, but it tasted superb, a lot better than it looked!!!
This was paired with a Segura Viudas Brut Reserva Cava.






We drank the night away, yarning and chatting, amidst great company, great ambience.

I always thought Cava meant Cave, like the Bata lives in the Cava.

We learn something new everyday. Ooh, and I just checked my trusty dictionary. Culinary can be pronounced both with the Cull or the Kiul...so pbbbbbbbbbth to whoever told me that misleading bit of info. My life is vindicated!

Chef Tam At Selayang For "Yim Kai"

Apparently there was a time, when a fellow on a bicycle used to go around offering castration services for chickens. With a deft snip and thread, the deed is done, and this strapping young rooster HERE, ....

..would not have been able to sire this little chicken here.


Now, the chinese are not the only ones who have no qualms about snipping off lineage (the roe and sperm of hairy crabs, for example) to satisfy the palate, apparently castrated chickens are called CAPONS in English. I just call them Eunucks.... a cross between eunuchs and cluck.... EUNUCK...

Apparently, the loss of male genitalia decreases testosterone levels in the chicken, causing them to get fatter, (oh dear, I should go check my testosterone level soon), ...as females have a higher fat to muscle ratio, according the the slimmest person on the table, CIKI.

Well, rewinding the tale a bit, we were invited for a food tasting of these free range birds, bred by the company called Sunshine Chicken, (presumably the roosters crow at dawn), helmed by Gerlad D'Cruz. The farm is in Kuala Lipis, where chooks are allowed to roam free, without stress, multiplying as they pleased, .... the equivalent of Malaysians with all our free land, as opposed to our poor Singaporean neighbours, all cooped up in HDBs...

The lunch venue was at Chef Tam, in Selayang, next to that famous seafood wholesaler, Jin Chwan. I had forgotten to RSVP the invite from Gerald, and had to tag along as the Queen's date, as her real husband, Bald Eagle, could not make it. Which theoretically means I don't REALLY have to blog about this, but the meal was so excellent, I simply have to share the good news.

We were first brought on a walkabout study tour of Jin Chwan.... a real marine treat for those who want to go diving but can't. Geoducks, alaskan king crab, moray eels, oysters, clams, prawns, fish of myriad variety, grace the tanks of this place.



Our celebrities, who are late, make their grand entrance..... very you yeng huh!



Such a celebrity couple, that one.

Most of the Wax Princesses found the 5 minutes in the heat too long, and quickly scurried back to the aircond comforts of the Chef Tam restaurant.

The brochure of the Sunshine Chicken. The farm as mentioned earlier, is in Kuala Lipis, and this prompted us to make sure we organise a trip there, afterall, fellow food blogger, THULE is based there, and I am sure would make a wonderful host. Gerald also very kindly offered us a tour of the farm, and the best wild boar curry ever.


Huge plump Pacific Oysters were the perfect way to start the meal. Of course debates abounded whether small is better, or large is better, but there seemed to be an equal number who preferred small, and big. (oysters, I mean). Walking Wikipedia reckons smaller oysters are sweeter, Ciki likes hers plump and large, and they slide down her throat.





Well, they certainly were very fresh. The oysters, I mean. And not fishy.


The highlight of the meal, the Yim Kai, or EUNUCK. Absolutely fantastic. Lovely golden yellow skin, with a layer of free range fat beneath the skin, and gorgeous flavour of meat that you will never get in a supermarket chicken. Texture wise, incomparable. Firm meat, with a real taste of chicken. Excellent. It's my first exposure to an EUNUCK. One wonders how one will eat normal chicken after this.


Ah, fantastic chicken rice in elegant little spoons. Special rice (beras) cooked in the chicken fat. Fluffy, sticky, flavourful all at the same time. Really very very good!!! And went fabulously with the ginger condiments.


Just look at that chicken. I can understand the hype.


Deep sea grouper. Again, lovely freshness to it, and the flesh firm, and sweet. Steamed to perfection. Originally someone said it was a Jack Something Something, which was an utter red herring. The NEXT table had the Jack something. (not "OFF"). Oh, did I mention the cast? Babe in the City KL, Pure Glutton, Gourmet Garden from Penang, the Nomad Gourmand, our dear Hooi Khaw, Cumi & Ciki, Just Heavenly Pleasures, ROKH, and the Queen of the DSLR herself. Quite a glittering gathering.


Some people like head.





This would have been my least favourite dish I guess. Not because it was bad, but it seemed a bit inconspicuous. Japanese snails, in a creamy cheese sauce. Mornay, almost. It was unanimously agreed the cheese sauce drowned the taste of the snails, and a light sautee with garlic would probably have been better.


Sunshine Chickens also do breed normal chickens, and this was it. A lovely roast crispy skin chicken. Again, the natural taste of the chicken, and texture, outstanding.


This beancurd dish is excellent. Deep fried bean curd, wobbly like panna cotta on a bed of choy thams. Perfect comfort food.


Something like the Sabah fern vegetable. Not sure what it was, but it was good. A slight slimy texture, but such a healthy feeling as it passes your throat. The Queen, not a veggie person, had a few cursory strands, and gave me the rest.


Dessert, guai lin gou. That herbal jelly with fruit cocktail.


The very affable Chef Tam. According to him, (and I had to play translator to Her Madge, sitting next to me....cis, her marder is chinese oso dunno how to speak), he has no one signature dish, but specialises in the cooking of seafood.



The horde of adoring female fans surround the Chef.

What a perfect way to spend a lazy Saturday afternoon. Thanks Babe for the white wine....it WAS from you right? And thanks Gerald for having us.

Well, if you are looking for excellent quality chicken, you should contact Gerald D Cruz at 012-2085590. I am already thinking that the castrated chicken would make a great turkey substitute for Christmas. So much tastier, and probably a fraction of the price. Them EUNUCKS can grow up to 5kg.... that's one large chook.

[NOTE: The Eunucks are available now on offer, at RM25 per kg. It is usually almost double the price in the markets. So chefs out there, give them a call now!]

Chef Tam is located along the same row as Jin Chwan, and judging by the food, serves excellent Chinese food at affordable prices. The seafood is purchased at Jin Chwan, and cooked in Chef Tam.

ZLS, Sentul

It is the dawn of the festival of lights.... I eagerly grab my phone to see if there are any invitations to any open house, but nah leh.... how oh how was I going to spend this lonely public holiday. Oh, wait, it's a Saturday, and every Saturday IS a public holiday. For most of us anyway. The ever efficient Agent Cikay has managed to muster the troops. YAY. And guest starring Hairy Berry, all the way from Singapore. Whenst once upon a time, his trips back here used to be a weekly affair, they are now reduced to rare appearances, because (official version) he is doing his masters and has classes (unofficial version) we think he has a girlfriend there in the republic...who wont let him come back. Dang you girl, we want our Hairy Berry!!!

The Five Fine Outers, ie, Cikay, Kenny Mah, DevilWearsPrada, Hairy Berry and Me, bundle into the hot red Honda Civic, and head to Sentul. The entire landscape of Jln Ipoh has changed so drastically over the years, I no longer recognise it. It's more botoxed than the First Lady, and almost as beyond recognition.

Time travels at the speed of light when you are busy yarning with friends, and before we know it, we're there, in a route that I am not sure I can replicate, as I wasn't paying attention. I only remember Hairy Berry mumbling something about his old school being in the neighbourhood. La Salle Sentul la, must be.

Nothing like beer before 12 noon to make one feel one is REALLY on holiday.



Hairy Berry, the expert of this place, orders the dishes with the familiarity of an obese kid ordering at Macdonald's. Before we know it, its Bon Apetit.


The duet of kailan, leaves deep fried and stems sauteed. I wonder which innovative chef first thought of this. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, the pioneer of this dish must be flattered to death by now.


Beer with lovely chicken wings. They go together like
rama lama lama
ke ding a de dinga a dong
remembered for ever like
shoo bop shoo wadda wadda yipitty boom de boom.

It's the kind of food you could eat all afternoon while downing several pints of beer, over good conversation.


Ooooh, look at the pig.


Pork Knuckles. Is it a misnomer? Is it really the knuckles? I thought the knuckles are the joints between the fingers and fist. That reminds me....
Man walks to a farm, and sees a pig with three legs. Asks farmer what happened. Farmer says, oh, I was in a fire once, and Wilbur there saved me. Man says, oh, he lost a leg in the fire? Farmer says, Nooo. In fact, later on, I almost drowned, and Wilbur saved me. So he lost the leg in the river? Noooo, farmer says. And again, Wilbur saved me once from barbaric burglars. So he lost the leg to the burglars? Noooo, says farmer. SO HOW DID WILBUR LOSE HIS LEG??? Farmer says, hey, a pig as good as this, you can only afford to eat him one leg at a time.
[running away from the pelted vegetables and tomatoes]

Now, I reckon no one does Pork Knuckles, or Trotter or whatever they're called, like the Chinese. I find the German ones usually a bit too dry. This one is not only moist and succulent, but swimming in a delicious gravy.








Four of the Five Fine Outers in Action.


Fish head curry. All these dishes scream out for rice don't they. Lovely rich curry sauce. I didn't really try the fish though, but judging by the fact that there was none left, it must have been good.


I LOVE this squid dish, presented on banana leaf. Not sure what its called, but its damn good, and apparently has the option of prawns as well. The squid was not fishy.



We weren't full after all that, so decided to add another dish of Oooh Lala. Gorgeous fresh clams steamed in a rice wine sauce, with wolfenberries. Loved the soup.

What can I say? Deepavali or not, it was good fun. Good food, good company, and beer with ice. How not to be happy?

Oh, the restaurant is called Zhen Liew Shiang, No. 30, Jalan 14/48A, Sentul Raya, Off Jalan Sentul, 51000 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 603 4041 3781

Mow Hai Hai Mow? Hairy Crabs at Dragon i.

Paranoid Android, who is the next Walking Wikipedia after Nigel Skelchy, (Nigel has the age advantage), asked on Twitter, are hairy crabs "Mow Hai" in Cantonese. Ciki replies, "Mow Hai, Hai Mow?". All my friends are comedians. My twitter page can be the script for a sitcom, as could my MSN, especially exchanges with the Venerable Thamby, aka Queen of the DSLR.

Those doomed to a life of humdrumness, and twiddling thumbs and swatting flies, like me, sit around all day waiting for friends to call. So, when I saw a Yahoo msg or was it an sms, from CIKI, obviously I scramble to open it quicker than our government changes it policies. And that's quick. OOOH, she asks me to be her date (I am shivering with excitement already) for a food tasting of Hairy Crabs (not Hairy's Crab....Hairy Crabs) from the famous Tai lake, at Dragon I at the Curve, on a lazy Saturday afternoon. Turned out the day was anything BUT lazy.

Mad rush ensued, as I juggled with the 15 cake orders for the day, and a slight hangover from the night before. Although it was just a little tipple with friends from the gym, this old man's resistance is dropping as quickly as his waistline is expanding. I was the LAST to arrive at Dragon I, much to my embarrasment, as seated on two tables were like the blogging gliterrati of Malaysia. The Queen Herself, KY Speaks, Nigel Skelchy, Ciki, KgBoy&Citygal. Gasp, its like attending an event with the DYMM himself, and coming late. I apologized profusely to our host, a very friendly Mr Kong, of PRK (PR Kraft), the PR company for the Dragon I group.

The first dish was the double boiled superior chicken soup with Fish Maw and Bamboo Pith. Superb hangover food. Cleansing to the soul, and rehydrating to the body. It wasn't too salty, as some soups are prone to be. The textures of the fish maw and chicken were just right.



They are very well prepared, the restaurant, as they even presented a bowl of soup specially for photography. A bit like a bride....doesnt always look like the real deal.



The next dish was Sauteed Fresh Vegetables With Crab Roe. Female crab roe, Kong explained to us. Female crab roe is harder and coarse than male crab roe.







"Male crabs have roe?" I ask in bewilderment. Obviously I should watch more National Geographic, and less Grey's Anatomy, as the latter doesn't teach you about crab anatomy.





Aren't the Xiu Long Baos with Hairy Crab row absolutely adorable? So dainty, almost a sin to eat them.


Of course, elegance should be consumed with elegance......
Of course no one saw it fit to photograph ME wolfing down MY xiu long bao, with all the finesse of a drunken sailor on heat.


Young Chow Style Fried Rice....probably the mandatory carb dish in the set. Oh, I did mention it was a set right? RM128++ for a six course Shanghainese set meal. Loved the rice. Fluffy, enough wok hei, and all that jazz. As Nigel pointed out, the prawns had been in a sodium bicarbonate spa for too long, and while they were texturally crunchy, there was about as much taste in it as a noveau rich chinaman decorating his newly built mansion in Kenny Hills.


We're heading for the climax, and given the necessary tools to do so as well.


No, its not for you to dig your nose, though I can't say I wasn't tempted.


Tah dah......... a platter of hairy crabs, all male, with 3 billion potential offspring on the plate to satisfy our greedy palate.
Oh, in answer to the earlier question about "Do male crabs have roe", well, [CHILDREN BELOW 18, dont read this], according to the reliable source on the table, it's kinda like Crab err...Sperm.



Look at me! I'm Hairy and proud of it!


The Glitterati throw themselves at the magnificent platter, not wanting to lose out on any action.


With the deftness of a surgeon, or a vet, the Captain deshells the crab, and reassembles it on a plate, as shown below. (corner right bottom is the Master Chef himself, whom the staff venerably refer to as Si Fu)





So, not only the Japanese can reverse engineer, so can the Chinese.



I HAVE to say, that the Male Roe was creamy and rich, and oh so good. Absolutely divine. Like eating Teuschers, Foie Gras and Truffles all at once. Shuddering in delight. Mmmmmm. Of course, that really IS the highlight, as the rest of the crab is nothing to shout about. The meat is sweet, but there's so LITTLE of it, it's like running a marathon to drink a glass of 100plus.

Dessert was Sesame Glutinous Rice Balls In Ginger Broth. As I couldn't hold my balls steady and photograph them at the same time, Nigel kindly held mine for me while I took a picture. I dunno why he only held up one ball. I reciprocated by holding up both of his, as can be seen in his post.



Not only is she the Queen, and writes like Shakespeare, and takes pictures like [who are the famous photographers in this world ah? Andy Warhol?], she can also multi task as she held up her own balls to photograph them. She the man!!! Bow bow bow, we are not worthy.










Posing for the Paparazzi.

Thanks Ciki for asking me to be your date. How else would little old me get to hob nob with who's who of the blogging world. Thank you thank you.

And special note of thanks to Mr Kong Wai Keong for having us.

The promo is on in autumn, (not our autumn la, autumn in China) when the crabs are in season. They are flown in on a weekly flight, on the promise of a vacation. At RM128++, well, it is a luxury, but hey, you have to factor in the airfare of the crabs, their rarity, and the loss of their descendants, so to savour that glorious roe, I'd say an occasional treat is in store.

Bruno's at Jaya 33

There's been this rumblings in the flogging scene ("flogging" is food blogging, to the uninitiated, and not some sado masochistic ritual, although the way we stuff our bodies sometimes does border on s&m), about the integrity of food reviews when it is gratis, whether or not we should declare and be transparent if we were paid in kind or in other services, (ahem), etc etc. Aiya, why so complicated? My motto, if someone wants to invite you to eat, and talk about them, oooh, why not. And if I have to declare that this was so, so be it. In fact, lately, due to the fact that I am hobnobbing with the correct celebrity bloggers, I seem to get a lot more invites to this and that.

So, I received an email from Candy, who is actually on my facebook and whom I distinctly remember as having ordered a cake from me before, inviting me to Bruno's for free flow drinks and grub. The words "free flow drinks" are to me what the words "abstinence" means to a Catholic priest. Hangon, I think I lost my train of thought there. Nah, there is no connection.

Anyway, yeah, free flow drinks, on a weeknight, with some vaguely familiar people, like Ciki, and Alilfatbanana, .....why not I say!


Happiness is Guinness on Tap. And the G.O.T here is gooooood! And only RM12 at happy hour for the glass size you see above. As the black liquid lubricated my thirsty throat and I soaked in the company of my delightful table mates, I began to feel happy once again.





The interior of Bruno's is pleasant enough. Parking was ample, at that hour, and cheap too. A perfect location for happy hour, if you ask me.

We were allowed to order anything we wanted from the menu. How generous of our hosts. [eyes scanning for the MOST expensive item...drat, no foie gras]

Sauteed mushrooms. I love mushrooms. Even the non magic ones. And these were nicely done. Simple, and delicious. The sauteeing sauce was just right, not too salty, and enhanced the natural flavour of the white button mushrooms.

And the breaded mushrooms. Perfect companion for alcohol. So much so, we ordered another serving.



Somewhere along the line, Alison Joan Victor of Red FM Fame joined us. I could not believe it. A living breathing and rather attractive celebrity in our midst. Drat, I forgot to ask for her autograph. Anyway, this delightful famous Deejay was very down to earth, and very charming company. We of course spoke fondly of our mutual friend, Fratmustard, who at that moment was having Vietnamese. Not a vietnamese, but vietnamese as in the cuisine. The fler was actually in HCMC while we dined in Petaling Jaya. Life is pretty unfair isnt it.


I have to say that Monkey is a man of many faces.



I digress. Back to the food. The garden salad with orange was ordinary. I mean, its healthy and all, as salad should be. Otherwise, why bother eating salad right. Might as well eat lard.


Isnt she the dainty little one....



Oh, the free flow alcohol comprised all of the happy hour items listed below. At times like this, I want to spank the monkey and say, Cis boy, why dont you drink alcohol.



What was I saying about Lard? Yeah well, one of Bruno's main attraction for me would be the wide array of Oinkety oink dishes.





Check out the Bruno's BBQ Wine Ribs. All our meat dishes came with a bit of pasta carbonara. They're really trying to make us sign a contract with Lipitor. Now, I loved these ribs. There was enough fat on the meat, and the marinade wasn't overpowering. I love that lovely chunk of oink fat in the picture above.


Ciki tried to be different and ordered the sirloin. Well, she disdainfully tossed away the huge slice of bread which formed the mattress for the dead cow, proclaiming "I don't eat carbs". Yes, looking at her svelte body, I think I kinda knew. The little bit of steak that she tossed my way seemed decent enough.





Now I ordered the Roast Pork in Chardonnay Sauce. The very word Roast Pork in my mind conjured up images of belly pork, crackling, and everything evil, but this was even healthier than the salad. The pork was lean!!! Argh, I'd been cheated! Anyway, it would suit the more health conscious, as the meat was really very white, and lean, rich thick sauce notwithstanding. Luckily there were two portions of those yummy ribs on our table thanks to Monkey and Aly J.


Perfectly manicured hands holding up the Campari Soda, which was the least sweet of the cocktails.





I thought I'd be healthy for a change, and tried the lychee comfort. (fruit ma, healthy wat). Nice, but very female drink. I should've stuck with Guinness. A MAN'S DRINK.


YUMMMY caramelised bananas. Amazing how such a simple dish can taste so good... but in the dessert department, THIS really took the cake.

The wobbly panna cotta. EXCELLENT. So much so, it was sold out, and we couldn't have more. Lovely texture and creamy flavour without being overly dense. Very yummy, and I would certainly return for another dose of this....



My friends are all multi talented, clowns and comedians, mostly.

Look, his brain is a magnet.


Just when we thought dessert was over, Candy, our dear hostess, brought us THIS little baby, from Food Foundry, the famous Vanilla Mille Crepe Cake. She must've known I was dying to try this. Lovely layers of crepes sandwiched with vanilla cream.

People compare their various accessories.





Mmm, the almost finished mille crepe. And then, Cumi walks in, all sweaty after a basketball game, and orders the Lamb Shank.


All of us were too full to try his shank, and in any case, he was carrying some flu bug around.


They started serving mojitos. Yay. My kinda drink. I love mojitos. I used to make a mean mojito. Used to, being the operative word.




We then adjourned to the outdoor area, where their resident band was playing. Very pleasant atmosphere outside. The band wasn't bad either.

I had a great night. Got to meet Alison Victor, Candy, my cake customer, hung out with all my favouritest people in the blogging world, free flow of alcohol, lovely lardy ribs, and it was only Thursday. Ah, distant dreamy faraway look.

Thanks Candy for the invite. Bruno's is located on the Ground floor of Jaya 33, facing the main road, and is at the left hand corner of the building if you are standing outside the entrance looking in. Next to the True Fitness Gym. Outstanding Happy Hour value for drinks. Anyone wants to join me there for HH soon?