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Tourism Malaysia

Outback Steakhouse @ BB Park

August 30, 2012 at 6:15 pm

Hanging out at Outback Steakhouse reminds me of everything good about a best friend. It isn’t pretentious, doesn’t scream for your attention and doesn’t cheat you of your money. Like any other ‘real’ best friend, I’m comfortable and at ease and every meeting is a joyous occasion.

Outback Steakhouse at BB Park, a cozy restaurant that serves great food!

The lovely interior of Outback Steakhouse. The ambience and atmosphere really come together to make it such a delightful place

Perhaps I’m being too whimsical about Outback, but I’m sure Wilson Ng of Places and Foods would agree with me when I say that Outback certainly is a great place to unwind after a long day of work, or in our case, to enjoy ourselves during the weekend. We were lucky enough to be invited to a weekend dinner hosted by Outback Steakhouse South East Asia’s Managing Partner, Mr. Rajiv Bharatiya at Outback Steakhouse, BB Park, as part of the Dining with Moola experience. You can check out what Wilson has to say about his experience at Outback Steakhouse right here.

Mr Rajiv Bharatiya, Managing Partner of Outback Steakhouse South East Asia along with the bloggers of Dining with Moola experience

Now, about Outback Steakhouse. It is located at BB Park, right in the middle of Kuala Lumpur’s retail district, Bukit Bintang. The soothing ambience, especially within the cozy restaurant, helps to invoke a friendly and calm atmosphere, when combined with great food, makes for an outstanding evening. Throw in great company in the form of two bloggers with their wives and a warm host, you’ve got yourself an unforgettable occasion.

Alice Springs Chicken Quesadilla – amazingly tasty

Our evening started with an introduction to some of Outback Steakhouse’s lovely appetisers – Alice Springs Chicken Quesadilla, Crispy Chicken Salad and Crispy Fried Mushrooms. The Alice Springs Chicken Quesadilla is a succulent combination of chicken breast, sautéed mushrooms, beef bacon, melted cheeses stuffed in a grilled flour tortilla. This delightful treat is served with honey mustard sauce. It really does its job as an appetiser as it’s simply so good. The Crispy Chicken Salad’s generous portioning makes it a main course for those who love watching their weight. Fried chicken fingers served over mixed lettuce, with tomatoes, cheese, beef bacon, diced egg, and croutons make this salad a dish that can actually be shared. Best of all, you get to select your own sauce to go with the salad.

Crispy Chicken Salad comes with Outback’s homemade dressing of your choice

We were pampered for choice that evening, having three lovely sauces to choose from – Ranch, Blue Cheese and Thousand Island. Every dressing is custom made by Outback Steakhouse and checked daily for consistency and quality. Each dressing was fantastic, offering pleasant surprises to my sauce weary tastebuds. I loved the blue cheese best, but later developed a liking for the thousand island, which has a slightly spicy tinge to it.

Which suits your tastes? Blue Cheese, Ranch and Thousand Island are just some of the dressings you can choose from

The simplest, yet most elegant appetiser that evening for me was the Crispy Fried Mushrooms. Lightly breaded and then fried till golden brown, these mushrooms taste heavenly with the special spicy ranch dressing that comes with it. It’s no wonder why it’s a favourite among Outback’s regulars.

Simple things done best – Crispy Fried Mushrooms with special spicy ranch dressing

But of course, what’s a restaurant without its main courses? And for a steakhouse, that means steak. Outback Steakhouse does not disappoint in that category, serving up four cuts of steak – the Outback Special, New York Strip, Victoria’s Filet, and Ribeye. All steaks come with two freshly made sides, and yes, you decide how well you want your steaks done. Outback also offers combination dishes that incorporate its great meats in them, such as the Toowomba Topped Filet, which we had the chance to sample. Sauteed shrimp and button mushrooms are tossed in a tomato cream sauce and served over a seasoned and seared filet. The result? Very happy diners!

The Toowomba Topped Filet – a unique combination dish offering some of the best of Outback

For those who aren’t that into steaks, worry not, as Outback also has an extensive range of chicken, fish and lamb dishes. Not only that, the restaurant offers pasta as well. Before you wonder what’s pasta doing in a steakhouse, let me assure you that the Seafood Pasta we tried is not there just to round up the menu, it is a dish worth noting. Shrimp, calamari and fish fillet with fettuccine tossed in Outback’s homemade marinara sauce and Parmesan cheese make it a satisfying meal.

Burger? Nope, it’s a Bloomin’ Steak Sandwich. and yes, it is *technically* a burger

And like any self-respecting steakhouse, Outback Steakhouse serves a mean burger! It’s got a mouthful of a name, but then again, it’s a heck of a mouthful of burger too. Meet the Bloomin’ Steak Sandwich – tender strips of sirloin, sautéed with balsamic glazed onions, melted cheese, tomato and finished off with Outback’s signature Typhoon Bloom petals. And it’s served with tomato mayonnaise and Aussie fries.

Look out! It’s the Chocolate Thunder from Down Under!

After a delightful and filling meal, we ended our evening with smiles and dessert. Deciding to share, we tucked into Outback’s popular Chocolate Thunder from Down Under. Built solidly with a fresh-baked pecan brownie as a base, it is topped with an amazingly generous scoop of rich vanilla ice cream, which is then covered with classic warm chocolate sauce AND another scoop of fresh whipped cream. This dessert is topped with chocolate shavings, ours came topped off with a decadently rich chocolate spire!

Great food, Good atmosphere – Outback Steakhouse

So if you are EVER in Bukit Bintang and just feel in need for some great food in a great place, head on to Outback Steakhouse for an unforgettable evening! And yes, they do serve some of the coolest cocktails in town!

This Dining With Moola experience is courtesy of Moola, currently the best-kept secret in town. Be elevated to a totally new and exciting lifestyle when you discover Moola!

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Tourism Malaysia

1Malaysia International Shoe Festival

1Malaysia International Shoe Festival

I love shoes!

Be-ribboned tied in cute bows, stilettos, chic sandals, jazzy platforms, comfortable pumps or even a sexy pair of boots, or two… oh, you’ll be spoiled for choice at this year’s shoe festival.

Especially with the launch of the 3rd Malaysia International Shoe Festival at Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur. The event is held from 30 March till 1 April, 2012 starting at 10.30 am till 8.30 pm.

Launched by the Queen, Raja Permaisuri Agong Tuanku Hajah Haminah, on the 29th March,  present were  Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen, Tourism Ambassador and internationally-renowned shoe maker, Prof Dato Dr Jimmy Choo as well as Malaysian Footwear Manufacturers’ Association (MFMA) President, Tony Ting.

Some of the highlights at this year’s shoe festival include:

  • Prof Dato’ Dr Jimmy Choo’s, ‘Sogno Gallery’ include the unveiling of his luxury shoe collection and couture, themed after the dragon year.
  • Malaysia footwear designer competition, where talented designers create their most innovative and stylish shoe designs.
  • A Foot and Wellness Corner, especially for those wanting to get insightful tips on foot care, and guide on shoe buying head on over here.
  • Shoe-on-wheels! A shoe car road show, where radio deejays will drive around with a huge shoe perched atop a car (look out for it, folks) on the road. Participate in game quizzes and win exciting prizes.
  • Check out the specially designed Rainforest Shoe Wonderland, where designers have transformed shoes and incorporate it into everyday life’s nuances.
  • Maybe you need and extra pair of shoe for your wedding? Then head over to the Wedding Shoe Wonderland, where shoes of every hue, size and style are displayed for a perfect wedding.

Other attractions at the event include shoe fashion show, shoe painting competition, clog-shoe making gallery, international shoe corner and much more*.

See you there!

* For further information, check out this link: http://www.malaysiafootwear.com/misf/2012/

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Tourism Malaysia

MPO Chamber Concert

January 24, 2012 at 12:00 pm

It is that time of the month again where chamber music lovers can head on to Dewan Filharmonik Petronas and enjoy great performances by the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra Chamber Players. For the month of January 2012, the orchestra will be performing four pieces from renowned musicians.

One of the pieces that will be performed is from Heitor Villa-Lobos, a brilliant Brazilian composer who was described as the most significant creative figure in 20th century Brazilian art music. His music is largely influenced by both Brazilian folk music and the European classical tradition. The MPO Chamber Players will be performing ‘Chorus No. 4‘. Another piece that will be performed that night is Hoffmeister’s Solo String Quartet No. 3 in D Major. Franz Anton Hoffmeister was a German composer and music publisher. Hoffmeister was one of the pioneers in the music publishing businesses, having established one of Vienna’s first of this kind of business in 1785.

MPO Chamber Concert is scheduled to start at 6.30 pm on 31st January 2012

Jean-Baptiste Loeillet was a Flemish baroque composer who also performed on the recorder, flute, oboe and harpsichord. He is called the London Loeillet, so as to distinguish himself from another famous composer. The MPO Chamber Players will be performing the Trio Sonata for Flute, Oboe and Basso Continuo. The last piece, Piano Trio in A Minor, is a piece composed by Joseph-Maurice Ravel, a French composer who was famous for his melodies, orchestral and instrumental textures and effects.

Tickets for this performance are priced at RM 20 for all seats. Patrons who are attending the event are required to observe the dress code, which is Smart Casual. Performance is scheduled to start at 6.30 pm on 31st January 2012. For more information and ticket purchases, please log on to the website here.

Photo (c) Dalcrose

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Tourism Malaysia

Borneo Bird Watching Festival 2011

October 14, 2011 at 2:00 pm

Sabah is one of the favourite destinations in Malaysia for many nature lovers. Not only is it famous for its breathtaking indigenous flora and fauna, it is also a well known haven for birds. It was recorded that Borneo is home to a total of 622 resident and migratory species of birds, with 32 endemic species recorded. Out of the 32, 4 of these endemic species can be found on either Sabah’s hill slopes or in its forests.

The Raffles’ Malkoha

Come 14th till 18th October 2011, bird and nature lovers can head on to Sabah to participate in the Borneo Bird Festival 2011. There are many exciting activities lined up for that five days for everyone. Some of the activities that are in store include a Bird Race on the 14th of October, guided walks for bird-watching, a flying squirrel guided watch, booth exhibitions and talks on bird related issues. There is even a tree climbing demonstration! Do not worry if these activities sound a little bit too daunting for the younger kids, as there are also activities lined up for them. Colouring competitions as well as art and craft activities are also in store for the kids when they come for the festival.

The Borneo Bird Festival will be held at the Rainforest Discovery Centre (RDC), Sepilok Sandakan, Sabah. The RDC is a centre for environmental education and is situated within the Kabili-Sepilok Forest Reserve. There are minimal charges for attending the lectures, workshops and guided tours. Participants are advised to register early to avoid disappointment as there are only limited space available. For more information, log on to their website here or call 088 212121 for further assistance.

Photo (c) Lip Kee

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