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Tourism Malaysia

Puzzle Cuisine @ Low Yat Plaza

October 30, 2012 at 5:48 pm

Located conveniently at the 4th floor of Plaza Low Yat, Puzzle Cuisine is one of those places that epitomizes the benefits of modern living. It’s casual, unassuming yet chic, has a wide variety without being overwhelming, and best of all, affordable while offering great value for money. It is a place where mix and matching is encouraged, where you can just sit down and have exactly what you want, however you want it, whenever you want it.

The many facades of Puzzle Cuisine

A bunch of us were invited to hang out at Puzzle Cuisine recently as part of a casual tea time experience courtesy of Moola, the first ever homegrown Cash-Back Lifestyle programme by ICT Utopia. Tea time at Puzzle Cuisine is filled with lots of Malaysian favorites, great desserts, and some of the more delicious and interesting drinks I’ve ever had the opportunity to encounter in recent times! I’m certain that Emily Tang from Sunrise Emily blog would agree with me, she was all smiles throughout the entire time. You can read about her fun time at Puzzle Cuisine at her blog, she wrote all about it!

Emily Tang from Sunrise Emily Blog smiling as she hangs out at Puzzle Cuisine

After selecting our drinks, we savored some of Puzzle Cuisine’s offerings. We began with some Malaysian favorites – nasi lemak ayam, curry puffs, soft buns and thick toast. The nasi lemak ayam, or chicken nasi lemak is a crowd favorite according to Mr. Samy, the supervisor and chef of Puzzle Cuisine. The rice was nice, the sambal tasty, and the chicken – tasted like chicken! All in all, it was good hearty fare.

The variety of food and snacks at Puzzle Cuisine: Donuts, Nasi Lemak Ayam, Soft Bun – Strawberry Puree, Curry Puffs

The curry puffs were a welcome sight, and we tucked in without delay. They contained the usual filling of curried potatoes and chicken bits, and were excellent as an opener. Then it was time for the Soft Bun with Strawberry Puree – a generous bun, soft and fluffy, with a lovely pat of butter and strawberry jam. The bun was soft as promised, and the time-honored combination of butter and strawberry jam went so well with it.

The Thick Toast – Peanut Butter

It was time for the first surprise of the day – the Peanut Butter Thick Toast. It certainly lived up to its name and was thick and tasty. Seeing the toast reminded me of Texas Toast. The thick slice of bread and the accompanying peanut butter, with peanut sprinkles on top, was just superb! There was enough peanut butter for the thick slice, which was just the right thickness. This simple dish got our unanimous vote for being the best.

The thick creamy peanut butter, with crushed peanuts sprinkled on top as a bonus!

Being a casual hangout spot, Puzzle Cuisine dedicates a large portion of its menu to drinks. Like the ice cream parlors of yesteryear, Puzzle Cuisine takes pride in the drinks it serves, each creation being a delightful and fun experience. While patrons can feel at home with the typical Malaysian favorites such as coffee, tea and teh tarik, or the café usuals like floats, juices and smoothies, I would recommend trying out some of Puzzle Cuisine’s soda creations, some with very intriguing names like the Traffic Light.

A close up of the Traffic Light, except that the red is in the middle of the orange at the top and the green at the bottom

We spent quite a lot of time at Puzzle Cuisine, enough for two rounds of drinks. Among the drinks we had were the Teh Tarik, Iced Tea, Coke Float, Soursop Juice, three soda creations – the Bloody Soda Lychee, the Dark Frenzy Soda Lychee, the Traffic Light, and two smoothies, the Honey Dew Smoothie and the Kiwi Fruit Yogurt Smoothie.

8 great drinks from Puzzle Cuisine! From Top Left, Moving Clockwise – Coke Float, Bloody Soda Lychee, Dark Frenzy Soda Lychee, Traffic Light, Kiwi Fruit Yogurt Smoothie, Honey Dew Smoothie, Soursop Juice, Iced Tea and Teh Tarik

A visit to Puzzle Cuisine would be incomplete without trying out the waffles. We tucked into two, the first a simple Chocolate Waffle, and the second the Ice Cream Waffle. The secret to a good waffle is the batter, and Puzzle Cuisine does not disappoint. The waffles were tasty without being too heavy, and the accompanying chocolate and ice cream were perfect matches for the light textured waffles.

The Ice Cream Waffle and the Chocolate Waffle

Puzzle Cuisine is really like a fun puzzle, you get the opportunity to explore and discover an assortment of delightful treats. Best of all, it’s affordable, and you can pick and choose to create your own perfect puzzle!

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.

Moola Frenz who dine at Puzzle Cuisine are entitled to a HUGE 30% cash back everytime! What’s more, you can also grab FreeMakan vouchers for even MORE savings here!

Moola 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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Tourism Malaysia

Su Lai Xiang Vegetarian House @ Desa Sri Hartamas

October 23, 2012 at 1:12 pm

Vegetarian food, once the butt of American television jokes, is fast becoming hip and respectable. Vegetarian food is now mainstream and acceptable in the West, and god forbid, highly sought after, with a wide range of products catering to various segments of the vegetarian market. While this development might be new to the West, vegetarian food has been an established part of the East for centuries. The Chinese, in particular, have elevated vegetarian food to an art form, serving up dishes and delicacies that hold their own against their meaty counterparts.

The rather unassuming facade of Su Lai Xiang belies the culinary delights the restaurant has within

Recently I was invited to a traditional Chinese banquet dinner that showcased vegetarian dishes at Su Lai Xiang, courtesy of Moola, the first ever homegrown Cash-Back Lifestyle programme by ICT Utopia. Joining me at this healthy and delicious banquet dinner was Miss Pamela Yeoh of Malaysian Foodie, and yes, she did enjoy herself immensely at the dinner. You can read all about how much she liked it at her blog here!

The cosy interior of Su Lai Xiang

Traditional Chinese vegetarian food is truly an art form, where chefs strive to prepare dishes that mimic normal or rather meat dishes. It is a challenge that tests the improvisation skills, as chefs look for ways to recreate the exact taste, look, feel and texture, using only vegetarian ingredients. Through the centuries, many techniques have been developed and with the advent of modern technology, what was considered the food of saints and immortals are now available for mere mortals like us.

Some of the beautiful Chinese themed decorations that adorn Xu Lai Siang

So how did Su Lai Xiang fare? Not only did the restaurant rise up to the challenge, it excelled and shone. Customers are in for a double treat, as not only will you enjoy top notch vegetarian fare, but the dishes are as authentic as they come for Chinese dishes, which I might add is already an accomplishment in itself. The fact that these are vegetarian versions merely highlights the uniqueness of what Su Lai Xiang has to offer.

The 10 vegetarian dish Chinese banquet dinner that was served

Fried Oyster Mushrooms with Butter Cream

We were served a banquet of 10 dishes, ranging from appetizing light dishes like the Fried Oyster Mushrooms and Stir Fried Bean Curd Skin, both prepared with Butter Cream, to vegetables like the Stir Fried Bitter Gourd with Salted Fish, Stir Fried Mixed Vegetables, and Fried Vegetable Stems with Seeds. The dishes are simply amazing, and the subtle varied tastes in the vegetables, mushrooms and bean curd stand out without being overpowered by other flavors.

Fried Bean Curd Skin with Butter Cream

Stir Fried Bitter Gourd with Salted Fish

Stir Fried Mix Vegetables

The real test for any Chinese vegetarian restaurant, would be the mock meat dishes. This is where Su Lai Xiang really shines. We had four great meat dishes, Char Siew – sliced roasted pork sirloin, Mui Choy Kau Yuk – a traditional Chinese favorite, Asam Prawns – delicious shrimp served in spicy tamarind sauce, and the piece de resistance, the Ginger Fish.

Fried Vegetable Stems with Seeds

The Char Siew – roast pork sirloin – 100 percent pure vegetarian

Each meat dish was prepared to perfection, the different textures achieved through folding techniques and also different ingredients. The mock Char Siew’s consistency and texture was so close to pork that it mimicked even the slight layer of fat that many Chinese insist is an integral part of the roast pork. The prawns were ‘shelled’, leaving the meat, which was firm, a sure sign of freshness for seafood. The Mui Choy Kau Yuk was an especially tough act to replicate, as this dish is steamed, allowing the juices from the meat to stew with the vegetables. The meatless version was simply superb, the taste spot on!

Mui Choy Kau Yuk – a favorite traditional Chinese dish

The highlight of the evening was the Ginger Fish, a whole fish, which is normally steamed – a technique that the Chinese believe brings out the natural flavour of the fresh fish. Su Lai Xiang’s Ginger Fish was truly exquisite, the flavorful tofu serving as the flaky fish meat and wrapped in a bean curd skin, topped with ginger sauce.

The Ginger Fish. The flaky texture of fish meat is replicated flawlessly

While Su Lai Xiang showed us that intricate techniques and complex combinations of ingredients produced marvellous dishes, one of the most memorable dishes was arguably the simplest – Fried Tofu With Salt Pepper. Tofu cubes fried and seasoned with just salt and pepper, garnished with chilli.

Simplicity at its best! The delicate subtle flavor of the tofu is definitely something everyone should try.

What can I say? Dining at Su Lai Xiang offers not only an authentic Chinese dinner experience but also a delightful discovery of healthy and tasty meat alternatives!

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.

Moola Frenz who dine at Su Lai Xiang are entitled to 10% cash back everytime! What’s more, you can also grab FreeMakan vouchers for even MORE savings here!

Moola 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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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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