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Tourism Malaysia

London Town @ Publika – Dining With Moola

October 4, 2012 at 6:20 pm

History buffs would know that one of the oldest surviving cities in the world is London, with an uninterrupted history stretching two thousand years. Others would recognise London as the capital of the United Kingdom, and the centrepiece of the great British Empire. To me, London represents all that, but more importantly, London means fish and chips and the English breakfast.

It might not be in London, but London Town serves up authentic London grub

But like Mohammad and the mountain, I do not have to go to London to enjoy great London fare. I just need to drop by London Town at Publika. London Town is a chic and modern casual dining spot, and at the time of my visit, still in what I call, ‘the experimental stage’. It has a laid back atmosphere, and embodies the ‘New Britain’ feel, the upscale, chic and trendy vibe synonymous with 21st century British lifestyle. My visit to London Town was Moola, the first ever homegrown Cash-Back Lifestyle programme by ICT Utopia, and I was joined with Miss Kelly Chin of Miss Sunshine that afternoon. Want to know whether she liked London Town? Check out her article at her blog right here!

Miss Kelly Chin was kind enough to accompany us to London Town

The man behind London Town, Nima Naserbakht, a Londoner of Iranian descent

Owner Nima Naserbakht, a Londoner of Iranian descent, is proud of his British roots and of British grub. Like the latest generation of Londoners, he believes in practicality where food is concerned – good quality at affordable prices, great tastes that are authentically London, with a slight local twist when needed. The great British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver would agree with Nima, I think, and approve of London Town as well. The restaurant is unpretentious, even understated. In its own way, it represents an ‘experiment in dining’, constantly evolving as it grows. What remains constant of course, is the great dishes that London Town serves up daily.

The simple chic and modern atmosphere of London Town

Old is Gold. Classic English Breakfast.

First up would be the All Day English Breakfast. Yes, you don’t need to wake up before the sun is high in the sky for this lovely fare. Simple classic English fare, it has toast, sausages, eggs sunny side up, beef bacon, tomatoes, mushrooms and baked beans. Yes, it’s good.

The Aglio Olio – a pasta with a spicy kick

London Town also serves the standard ‘European’ dishes that most Malaysians have come to expect from a ‘Western’ themed outlet. While the dishes might be standard, the taste and quality is way above par. We had a very ‘standard’ simple pasta dish, Aglio Olio, which came with mushrooms and a slight dusting of chilli flakes. The result is a great refreshing dish that leaves a slight spicy lingering taste.

The London Town Fish and Chips – a true London experience

Next up is London Town’s Fish and Chips, a dish born and made famous on the wharves of London. The dish is served with customary tartar sauce and mushy green peas, which taste really good. The fish and chips? Simply superb authentic London fare.

London Town Special Fried Steak Role, a crispy and tender tasty dish

Fish and chips isn’t the only thing that London Town is good at, and we sampled two mains that proved that beyond a doubt. The first was the London Town Special Fried Steak Role, twin steak rolls served with asparagus and the Chicken Chop, a lovely well prepared piece of chicken served with great tasting brown sauce. Both dishes were served on a bed of mash potatoes.

Chicken Chop – a simple name for a superb dish

What modern restaurant would go without having a burger in the menu? London Town’s burgers don’t disappoint, and we were lucky enough to sample the Waterloo Beef Burger. Everyone agreed that it was really good, especially the beef patty. Juicy and tasty, it makes other burgers pale in comparison.

Waterloo Beef Burger. Great beef patty

When it comes to drinks and desserts, London Town’s no slouch. We tried several milkshakes, but my favourite still remains the Oreo Royal Milkshake, a sinfully sweet chocolate delight made with oreos of course!

Oreo Royal Milkshake and the Latte

So the next time you’re craving for something British or English, remember, you don’t have to go to London, just drop by London Town at Publika!

Great ambience, great price – London Town

This Dining With Moola experience is courtesy of Moola, the first-ever Cash-Back Lifestyle Programme specially designed for shoppers to enjoy free shopping, great savings and best deals in town. Moola leverages on cutting-edge technology of mobile application that utilises QR code technology for all interactions; from member registration, Moola accumulation and redemption, to the actual shopping.

It is completely hassle-free; no administrative effort; no joining fee; no cards; and comes with even greater flexibility for shoppers to enjoy the variety of rewards for redemption. Visit www.moola.my for more information!

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Categories
Tourism Malaysia

Malaysian Bloggers

August 29, 2012 at 11:49 am

What truly makes a place special? Some might believe that distance actually improves the appeal of a destination – the harder it is to reach it, the more special it becomes. Others might stress on comparison, how different it is to their idea of normalcy – the more bizarre the culture, the more exotic the experience.


For me, it’s not the destination that matters – it’s the journey, and more importantly, the people. So when someone asks me what is so SPECIAL about Malaysia, my answer is simple and clear – its people.

And so, it is my pleasure to introduce a brand new initiative, courtesy of Moola, the first ever cash-back lifestyle programme, where we will feature a special breed of very interesting and engaging people – Malaysian bloggers. Through this series of articles, we will get to know them, their habits and their thoughts, and more importantly, to see the world through their eyes, to share in their experiences as they explore the gastronomic paradise that is Malaysia.

Who They Are

Wilson Ng of Places and Foods

URL: www.placesandfoods.com
PlacesAndFoods.com is a travel and food blog lovingly run by a Malaysian couple, Wilson Ng and Rachel Ting. The blog allows them to share their experiences and thoughts with people who share their passion for travel. They enjoy exploring new places and also seeing new things as they travel.

Wilson Ng and Rachel Ting enjoying a lovely dinner at Outback Steakhouse KL, with their host, Rajiv Bharatiya, Managing Partner of Outback Steakhouse Sout East Asia

Kelly Chin of Miss Sunshine
URL: sunshine365days.blogspot.com/
There’s nothing like a ray of sunshine to brighten up your day. With Miss Sunshine, it’s all smiles and laughs all around. She’s a cheerful, outgoing and happy go lucky blogger who always tries to be positive and optimistic about life!

Kelly always has a smile for any occasion and for anyone who she meets

Isaac Tan of IsaacTan.net
URL: www.isaactan.net
A Lifestyle Website with emphasis on Events and Happenings, Food Reviews, Travel, Movie, Tech, Gadgets and more. Discover more about Isaac as he discovers more about well, everything!

Isaac Tan and his wife at the Outback Steakhouse KL, with Rajiv Bharatiya, Managing Partner of Outback Steakhouse South East Asia

Dining With Moola

The bloggers were invited to some of Kuala Lumpur’s trendiest restaurants and FB outlets as part of an introduction to a new and exciting lifestyle by Moola. Check back here for all the places they went!

The Malaysian Bloggers series 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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Categories
Tourism Malaysia

Glassy Bar & Grill

September 25, 2012 at 4:47 pm

While Penang rules the roost as the street food capital of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur has built up a reputation of having a more cosmopolitan flavour, offering its inhabitants and visitors a potpourri of dishes and delights to choose from. I had the opportunity to discover an exciting hangout spot that offers great North Indian cuisine right in the heart of the Kuala Lumpur City Centre thanks to Moola, the first ever homegrown Cash-Back Lifestyle programme by ICT Utopia.

The cosy interior of Glassy Bar Grill

Things were quiet at Glassy Bar Grill, tucked away along Lorong Yap Kwan Seng, during my visit on a sunny Friday afternoon. I was not alone of course, and had the pleasure of Ivy Kam and Vincent Chong of foodmsia.com, and Emily Tang and Eric Thong from Sunrise Emily blog for company. And the effervescent Kelly Chin of Miss Sunshine rounded up our party of five for the day. Miss Kelly of course, had quite a lot to say about this lovely place, check out her blog!

The lovely Kelly Chin from Miss Sunshine

Glassy Bar Grill has an eclectic feel to it, and incorporates a mix of Indian mysticism and modern sensibilities in its interior design to create a chic and modern ambiance. The atmosphere is even surprisingly psychedelic – somewhat of a plus point for an outlet dedicated for the evening crowd of young KLites looking for a place to party the night away.

Feel like hanging out ? Try Glassy Bar Grill

Trust me, after taking your first bite of these mix vege pakora, you might decide not to stop

We were there for the food though today, so we began with two delightful appetisers, Mixed Veg Pakora and Eggplant Crisps. Finger food has always been a mainstay of Indian cuisine, and these two appetisers, while not traditional Indian dishes, do not disappoint. The Mixed Veg Pakora combines deep fried vegetables with mint garlic aioli as a dipping sauce, while the Eggplant Crisps comes with Glassy’s version of salsa – fresh tomatoes, onions and cheese.

Eggplant never tasted so good!

Next up, meats for eats. Glassy Bar Grill serves many types of meats – chicken, lamb and fish – in a variety of ways. The portions are thoughtfully sized, bite sized tasty and succulent morsels guaranteed to satisfy the meat lover in you! We had our fill of Salmon Fenugreek and Reshmi Kebab, both served with delicious mint sauce. The marinated salmon is flavoured with fenugreek leaves, charcoal cooked and served with indian bread while the Reshmi Kebab was simply lovely, the selected exotic spices blending to produce a balanced unique flavour for the well marinated chicken.

Tasty morsels of delight! The Salmon Fenugreek on the left and Reshmi Kebab on the right

Mains at Glassy Bar Grill are well prepared servings of meats and vegetables served with a selection of Indian breads. The varieties of breads served are definitely an eye opener, even for your typical Malaysian and include Lacha Paratha, Tandoori Roti, and Garlic Naan amongst others. We were lucky enough to sample 5 of Glassy Bar Grill’s famous mains – Butter Chicken, Lamb Rogan Josh, Fish Moilee, Cumin Potatoes, and Palak Paneer, or Spinach Cottage Cheese.

The mains – Palak Paneer or Spinach Cottage Cheese, Fish Moilee, Cumin Potatoes, Lamb Rogan Josh, and Butter Chicken. Served with an assortment of Indian breads.

The Butter Chicken definitely is a culinary understatement. Pulled chicken cooked in a clay oven in rich tomato curry, it quickly became our favourite of the day. The subtle flavours merged well with the lightness of the chicken and did not overwhelm it, making the entire dish a sheer delight!

The Fish Moilee puts most fish curries to shame with its superb balance of heat and rich spices. Light yet spicy, the pieces of dory fish meat sautéed with curry leaves, tomato, cilantro and coconut thrills but does not burn. It certainly leaves you wanting more, that’s for sure.

For red meat lovers, the Lamb Rogan Josh is a definite must-try. The lamb chops cooked in onions, cilantro and mint sauce, is tender and tasty, guaranteed to melt in your mouth. Unlike some Indian lamb and mutton dishes, the Lamb Rogan Josh is not overbearingly pungent, rather has a hearty aroma that is bound to whet your appetite.

Four mains – From top clockwise – Fish Moilee, Palak Paneer, Butter Chicken, Lamb Rogan Josh

Cumin Potatoes – potato pieces cooked with spices, cumin and tomatoes – may seem like a side dish, but rest assured, it holds its own as a main. Vegetables have always been central in Indian cuisine, and this simple cumin potato dish not only is a stomach filler, but an amazing adventure for the tastebuds!

Last but not least, we come to the Palak Paneer, or Spinach Cottage Cheese. Homecooked cream spinach cooked with chunks of cottage cheese make this dish a truly unique dish, not only from a sense of taste, but also texture. It has a mild pleasant taste, and the chunks of cottage cheese goes so well wrapped between pieces of Indian bread.

The stage at Glassy Bar Grill

These are just some of the great dishes that await diners who venture into the Glassy Bar Grill. It’s a great place to dine, and to hang out after a hard day’s work. If you don’t believe me, check out what Emily Tang had to say about it!

And yes, check out the lovely photos by Vincent Chong from foodmsia.com!

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Categories
Tourism Malaysia

Lavinier Coffee @ Publika

September 3, 2012 at 12:38 pm

Coffee certainly has come a long way in Malaysia. It wasn’t too long ago that the varieties of coffee available were black or with milk, hot or cold. And let us not forget the best choice of all, kopi or nescafe. These days coffee comes in a variety of flavors, and served in almost as many ways. The thing that hasn’t changed is how good coffee tastes. And you haven’t tasted good coffee if you haven’t tried coffee at Lavinier Coffee @ Publika.

Relax with a soothing cup of coffee at Lavinier Coffee at Publika

Watching the world go by with coffee in hand

I dropped by Lavinier Coffee for coffee and a late lunch one Friday recently, as part of the Dining with Moola experience. Along with Kelly Chin of Miss Sunshine, we sat down with Anoo for a brief chat to learn more about what Lavinier has to offer coffee enthusiasts. Anoo regaled us with several interesting anecdotes about Lavinier’s coffee, including the effect it had on some of his customers. Suffice to say that Lavinier prides itself in its coffee, and for good reason – it is quite possibly the strongest coffee in the nation.

Comfortable sofa seats and some nice drinks make a prefect evening with friends after a long day’s work

Cuppa Joe anyone? Lavinier Coffee offers strong brews guaranteed to amaze coffee enthusiasts

We sampled two offerings that day, the Caramel Latte and a single shot of Macchiato. The latte is recommended for those who prefer something mild, and the Macchiato is a good introduction to the strong coffees available at Lavinier Coffee. The Caramel Latte in this instance, is a lovely balance of flavors, sweet, strong and smooth, while the Macchiato was strong and bold, but not overwhelming on the senses.

Two of the coffees we tried, the Macchiato and the Caramel Latte

We had a nice chat while we waited for Chef Sammy’s arrival. Chef Sammy, being a Muslim, was away performing Friday prayers. It was not that long a wait, and sure enough, we were soon all seated around the table marvelling at Chef Sammy’s delectable delights. Chef Sammy hails from Montenegro, a former state of Yugoslavia. Central Europe has always been a fascinating place, due to its location as a meeting point of cultures. The result is a culture and cuisine that incorporates the best elements of both traditional European and Asian traits.

Chef Sammy, an amazing culinary artist from Montenegro, now Chef at Lavinier Coffee

Central European cuisine at its best! Only at Lavinier Coffee

So what did Chef Sammy serve up? He began with an Italian favorite, the Bruschetta, as an appetiser. Dubbed Bruschetta a lia Italian, the simple ingredients are mixed superbly and presented deftly, exemplifying the strengths of Italian cuisine, great complex taste that comes from freshness and simplicity.

Bruschetta a lia Italian, a simple yet amazingly tasty appetizer

Next is another Italian mainstay, the pizza. Chef Sammy chose to showcase the Tramuntana Pizza, a unique pizza with two different toppings, onions and tomatoes on one half, and chicken sausage and olives on the other. A sunny side up egg sits right at the center of this pizza, the yolk waiting to be mixed with the toppings.

Tramuntana Pizza – lovely dual flavor toppings with a single sunny side up egg in the center

Then it was on to the main courses. We had a Central European favorite, the Burek. A local delicacy in the Balkans, the Burek is not your ordinary beef pie. Chef Sammy’s version purportedly uses local ‘popiah’ skin instead of filo pastry for his burek, but the rest of the ingredients remain the same. Minced beef, onions and spices all mixed together and wrapped up and then baked. The Burek is served with a lovely special sauce and a salad that complements the rich taste of the meat.

Burek, a Central European delicacy. It is not merely a normal beef pie.

Finally, the highlight of the day, the Cevapi Sarajevo. Not to be confused with the American all time favorite burger, the Cevapi Sarajevo packs 7 pieces of tasty beef between a generous flat bread that really looks like a burger bun, some chopped onions, and is served with an interesting red sauce called ajvar. No, it’s not chilli sauce nor sambal belacan, but a traditional sauce made with peppers, and packs a bit of a kick. The dish is served with a side of fries and salad.

The piece d resistance, the Cevapi Sarajevo. Simply delicious!

We were so stuffed that we didn’t bother with dessert, but Lavinier Coffee does offer a fine selection of sweet delights to bring your dining experience to a close. A variety of cakes, pies, and pastries are readily available at a lovely counter for those looking for a sweet close. Lavinier Coffee is not strictly a coffee only outlet, and serves beer and a multitude of cocktails if you’re up for something stronger.

For those with a sweet tooth, Lavinier offers a multitude of delights

And don’t forget to check out Kelly Chin’s experience at Lavinier Coffee. She wrote all about it at her blog!

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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Categories
Tourism Malaysia

Malaysian Bloggers

August 29, 2012 at 11:49 am

What truly makes a place special? Some might believe that distance actually improves the appeal of a destination – the harder it is to reach it, the more special it becomes. Others might stress on comparison, how different it is to their idea of normalcy – the more bizarre the culture, the more exotic the experience.


For me, it’s not the destination that matters – it’s the journey, and more importantly, the people. So when someone asks me what is so SPECIAL about Malaysia, my answer is simple and clear – its people.

And so, it is my pleasure to introduce a brand new initiative, courtesy of Moola, where we will feature a special breed of very interesting and engaging people – Malaysian bloggers. Through this series of articles, we will get to know them, their habits and their thoughts, and more importantly, to see the world through their eyes, to share in their experiences as they explore the gastronomic paradise that is Malaysia.

Who They Are

Wilson Ng of Places and Foods

URL: www.placesandfoods.com
PlacesAndFoods.com is a travel and food blog lovingly run by a Malaysian couple, Wilson Ng and Rachel Ting. The blog allows them to share their experiences and thoughts with people who share their passion for travel. They enjoy exploring new places and also seeing new things as they travel.

Wilson Ng and Rachel Ting enjoying a lovely dinner at Outback Steakhouse KL, with their host, Rajiv Bharatiya, Managing Partner of Outback Steakhouse Sout East Asia

Kelly Chin of Miss Sunshine
URL: sunshine365days.blogspot.com/
There’s nothing like a ray of sunshine to brighten up your day. With Miss Sunshine, it’s all smiles and laughs all around. She’s a cheerful, outgoing and happy go lucky blogger who always tries to be positive and optimistic about life!

Kelly always has a smile for any occasion and for anyone who she meets

Isaac Tan of IsaacTan.net
URL: www.isaactan.net
A Lifestyle Website with emphasis on Events and Happenings, Food Reviews, Travel, Movie, Tech, Gadgets and more. Discover more about Isaac as he discovers more about well, everything!

Isaac Tan and his wife at the Outback Steakhouse KL, with Rajiv Bharatiya, Managing Partner of Outback Steakhouse South East Asia

Dining With Moola

The bloggers were invited to some of Kuala Lumpur’s trendiest restaurants and FB outlets as part of an introduction to a new and exciting lifestyle by Moola. Check back here for all the places they went!

The Malaysian Bloggers series 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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