F Concept Dining by Buffalo Kitchens @ Bangsar.

Some people fancy clothes, some fancy golfing items, some fancy shoes, some fancy cars... but I really do fancy some really good looking shiny pots and pans. I just love and adore such wares. I always make it a point to view such items whenever I go shopping.

There is this particular brand which really interests me, simply called 'Buffalo'. This world famous brand originated from Taiwan and has won numerous awards in the world. Such items are pretty expensive in this country, very unfortunately, maybe because of the high taxes and duties set by the Malaysian government. I can get a similar one or even a better one in the USA for a fraction of the price found in our local shops.

I was pretty surprised to find a shop selling the 'Buffalo' cookware that is located on the first floor along a row of shops in Bangsar. Not only a shop selling the famous brand but it is also a restaurant too ! Walau !!

The setup was pretty and there are loads of wooden furniture covering the whole area which is something I fancy very much. I love the ambiance of wood and the more the merrier.

Dining area are all indoor and there is a small little area, a verandah , which is meant for those who would want to enjoy a good cup of whatever. Cause they have an outdoor bar specially for this purpose. I bet you'll enjoy the atmosphere and ambiance of this lovely place.

As you can see 'Buffalo' cookware are sold in this outlet too and you can find various types of wares here to suit your choice. Why only 'Buffalo'? Because I reckon they are the local sole agent for these fantastic wares.

This was what we had today and I must say that the set lunch is very well priced at RM18++ for 3 fabulous meals. We were told that you will get different types of combination for the set lunches daily which makes it interesting. And it starts from 12pm -2:30pm.

Mushroom Soup

This is one of the best mushroom soup I have ever had for a long time. Texture was just right and the soup was rich with mushroom which makes it unbelievable tasty and delicious. Wonderfully done and scores full marks from us all.

Spaghetti Basil Pesto with Chicken

This lovely delicious looking plate of spaghetti is only worth looking at. It was very bland, very tasteless. We needed to spread more salt, pepper and parmesan cheese to make this pasta to have some zing to it. I was just wondering what went wrong here. This was supposed to be an easy job to cook but it turned out otherwise. Was a big let down, really.

Mango Cake Dessert

And to finished off this set lunch came the dessert in a form of 'mango cake'. Yes, this cake does taste like mango but it was rather 'dry'. It was making my throat feeling uncomfortable as it takes a whole lot of strength to push it right through it. A little disappointed, really.

Conclusion : Now I know where to get my stainless steel wares. And also now I know where I should not go for set lunches. Maybe just for a bowl of mushroom soup. But the rest is better to be left aside and not forgetting not to mention it too much. A 2/5 for the food but a 5/5 for the 'Buffalo'.

Cheers !

F Concept Dining by Buffalo Kitchens
69-1, Jalan Telawi 3
Bangsar Baru
59100 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel : 03 2201 1710

Anahata Villas & Spa Resort @ Ubud, Bali.

This is where we stayed in Ubud. Marvelous resort which is miles away from civilisation. Anahata is a boutique resort that is so captivating. Pure delight to have given the opportunity to stay at this fantastic resort. I will certainly not touch too much on this resort at this moment cause it will take 3 days 3 nights for me to complete it. I will do my very best to post it in my next blog. Yes, I will say that this is a lovely and fantastic resort if you are looking for peace and quiet. Check on them http://www.anahataresort.com/ for more information.

Lounge / Bar / Restaurant Area

It was past 8pm when we got there and everyone was tired and hungry. We pre-ordered our dinner from the friendly waiter at the restaurant and the delicious food will be brought to us in our private villa. We decided to head back to our villa to refresh ourselves and got ready for dinner.

Meal made for a King

Dinner was brought to us straight to our very own dining table at our private villa. We certainly was happy to see these lovely food brought to us cause all of us were super hungry and can eat a whole cow. The whole room was instantly filled with the aromatic smell of food. And we just couldn't wait any longer.

Nasi Campur Bali @ Rp75,000++

Ayam Bertutu @ Rp98,500++

Both Nasi Campur Bali and Ayam Bertutu was amazing. Lot's of spices are used simply making the dish aromatic and delicious. Chicken was tender yet juicy and succulent and the taste of 'serai' was amazing.

Sauces for dipping

We were given 3 different types of sauces for dipping. These sauces was really good, delicious and spicy. Enhances the taste of our meal and it was really a joy having these sauces around.

Mi Goreng Bali @ Rp75,000++

Vegetable in Oyster Sauce served with Rice @ Rp65,000

There was nothing special about the mi goreng Bali. Or maybe we were expecting it to be really good. It was just like any ordinary local mamak style maggie mee goreng but just with a different taste. Really we did enjoyed it but was slightly disappointed. And it was rather salty.

Vegetable rice set was pretty bland in taste and I believe I could dish out a better plate. Anyway, all of us enjoyed this plate of vege mixed with rice as it's taste is different from our local way of cooking which makes it enjoyable.

Pasta Oglio Olio @ Rp67,000++

A sudden switch from local Balinese food to Italian. Oglio Olio was not bad, really. I wasn't expecting this plate of pasta to be good. Hat's off to the resort chef.

Conclusion : Food was ok-lah. But not the price. We paid Rp380,500 for food and Rp79,905 for the 21% govt tax. BUT we have no complains about this as this is a high end, high class resort. Furthermore, it takes at least 20 minutes drive out to the nearest restaurant, I rather settle for the 'not too bad' Anahata restaurant food. Recommended for it's food and 100% two thumbs up for the resort.

Cheers!

Anahata Villa & Spa Resort
Br Umah Anyar-Tampaksiring
Ubud
Bali.
Tel : 62(0) 361 978 991
Email : info@anahataresort.com

Bebek Tepi Sawah @ Ubud, Bali.

We had to thank our tour guide for introducing us to this lovely place called 'Bebek Tepi Sawah' located in Ubud, Bali. According to our tour guide this place is 'the' place for this special delicacy enjoyed by millions. 'Bebek Tepi Sawah' simply means 'Duck on the edge of Rice Paddy'. Yeah that's the direct translation. And it is really true that this lovely restaurant is situated next the a rice paddy.

The restaurant was super packed when we got there. There were plenty of tourists as well as locals and also those from Jakarta, Indonesia. The atmosphere was amazing. There were two lovely ladies dressed in traditional Balinese outfit entertaining the crowd with some traditional dance. And for those who would love to have a photo taken with these lovely girls, simply just ask politely and your dream will come true.

We were brought to a small little table just good enough for the four of us. We could see so many people enjoying the cultural dance while having a good meal. This whole place was so aromatic with food they served. And one particular special delicacy that attract all the crowd was their 'Bebek' which means 'duck'.

Crispy Duck Tepi Sawah @ Rp75,000+

This lovely delicacy was served together with some vegetable and white rice. The duck was so delicious and so crispy. Meat was rather dry but it was fine. Meat was well marinated and to spice up the taste just dipped it into the different sauce provided and you'll just want more. At Rp75,000 which is equivalent to RM30.00 is rather costly but it was well worth it. A fantastic dish! Highly recommended!

Grilled Pork Ribs Tepi Sawah @ Rp78,000+

We were surprised to have tasted this super grilled pork ribs. It was amazingly delicious, well marinated with the chef's special sauce and grilled to perfection. Meat was tender and succulent and melts in your mouth. Not only they are good with the 'bebek' but never underestimate their skills with the other foodie they serve. I would highly recommend this pork ribs and at RM35.00 it was worth every penny of it. The way they grilled it no other can match. Perfect !

This restaurant is the perfect place for you to indulge the delicious food with a scenery to kill. Lot's of greenery of the rice field, cool breeze with the right ambiance for a relaxing experience.

We would really loved to be able to order more variety but our belly told us not to. It was rather sad as we won't be coming back to this place a long time. The experience we had today was simply amazing and good memories too.

Yeah, FYI this 'Bebek Tepi Sawah' also runs a hotel / villa which is adjoining to the restaurant. We found out that some of their villas comes with indoor pool which sounds really cool. And not to forget full health spa services is available too. Check them out !

Conclusion : Fantastic !! Loved the food, loved the atmosphere, loved every inch of this restaurant. Just find it to be a little costly with a 16% govt tax but it was worth it. A 5/5. Bravo....

Cheers !

Bebek Tepi Sawah Restaurant
Jl Raya Goa Gajah
Br Teges
Peliatan
Ubud
Bali.
Tel : 0361 975656

Babi Guling Ibu Oka @ Pasar Ubud, Ubud Palace, Bali.

When you are in Bali most locals will tell you a tale about not missing the famous Bali dish simply called 'Babi Guling'. It is a meaty delicacy which is super famous in Bali. You will be able to see lot's of places selling this delicacy around Bali.

This visit to Bali brought us to Ubud, one of the oldest place in Bali as was told to us by our friendly tour guide. Ubud is arguably the island finest place if you are looking for culture, comfort, nature and fine arts, music, dance and inspiration.

Ubud is such a famous place because it is surrounded by scenic padi fields, ancient temples and palaces, rivers and since this place has been a boom to the tourist industry more and more hotels are mushrooming here. You will find cheap accommodations for back packers to unique luxury hotel or spa hotels for those who would like to have a more refine and relaxing stay.

After a long walk at Pasar Ubud hunting some really good bargains it was time for us to rest our tired feet and have lunch. It was way past lunch time and we were making our way to the famous 'Babi Guling' at 'Warong Ibu Oka'. We did not have any problem finding the place. It was super packed when we reached the place and it took us a few minutes in finding an empty table.

I was so mesmerized with the atmosphere over at Warong Ibu Oka. Full of tourists of all races flocking in to have a taste of the babi guling. This is the place to go for and no other place does it better than Ibu Oka.

Nasi Babi Guling Pisah @ Rp50,000

Ok ... now .... what is 'Babi GUling'? It's a pork delicacy where you can find meat, crispy pig skin fried to perfection, pig's blood served with some vegetable and white rice and comes with some really good sambal. So, are you ready for such delicacy? Oh, we sure are, indeed.

Food was superb if you are a fan for such delicacy. And we wanted more but to our surprised they have sold off everything. Phew .... lucky us, really, to be able to enjoy this lovely food. It wouldn't have been complete if we did not stepped into Ibu Oka and have some Babi Guling. And at Rp50,000 which works out to be around RM18.00 - RM20.00 is not cheap for a plate of babi guling. But it was really worth it.

Conclusion : If you are planning a trip to Bali and looking for the best babi guling on this beautiful island of Bali, look no further than 'Ibu Oka'. They certainly does serve the best in this island. You won't be disappointed. A 4.5/5.


Cheers !

Warong Babi Guling Ibu Oka
Jl Tegal Sari
No. 2 
Ubud, Bali.
Tel : 0361 976345

Vietnam Kitchen @ 1 Utama

To the left or to the right? How about the one over at the ground floor? Or maybe the one which is tucked at the corner over at the first floor. Hmm..... plenty of restaurants to choose from .... simply spoilt for choice. It's tough when you have so many options to choose from especially when you could only choose one.

Yeah, we were talking about the many choices one could have in 1 Utama shopping mall over at Bandar Utama. Dinner time was getting closer and most restaurants are getting crowded as the time ticks. So, we have a couple of hungry belly to feed and got to make a decision fast.

We had a quick thought about it and decided to go for Vietnamese food. We made our way up to the 2nd floor (new wing) and viola found the restaurant and was immediately showed to our place by the waiter. Efficient. This place is already crowded with hungry dinner patrons and we were really lucky to have found a seat as from my observation seating were limited. Oh yeah, this place is called 'Vietnam Kitchen'.

This restaurant is surely a hit amongst the shoppers. People are still queueing up to dine here. One look at the menu tells me why this place is popular. They have a large variety of food choice to choose from. You can either order from the ala' carte or choose to go for the set meals. There is a choice of either rice or noodle, vegetables plates, seafood or meat or even salad to choose from. And the best thing I noticed was the pricing was pretty pocket friendly.

Vietnamese Tea @ RM4.50++ per pax

We ordered some fine Vietnamese tea which tasted quite 'light' something I am not used to as I prefer Chinese tea like the 'char wong' or 'pu er'. Anyway this is one that really shocked me as it costs RM4.50 per pax which means we had to fork out RM9.00 just for this pot of tea.

Special Beef Noodle Soup @ RM13.90++

Now this is one knock out noodle this restaurant is famous for or rather "Vietnam" is famous for. It was very aromatic and the soup was very yummy. Beef meat was sliced very thinly which was a joy to be eaten.

Vietnamese Spring

Grilled Lemongrass Chicken Chopped Set @ RM16.90++

This platter brought smile to my face.  This set comes with some Vietnamese spring, some pickles, a bowl of vege soup, Vietnamese sauce for dipping and an egg on top of a bowl of fragrant white rice. The grilled lemongrass chicken was perfectly done and it's taste was superb. The springs was equally good ~ crunchy on the outside and smooth delicious filling on the inside. Fantastic !

FYI, their other outlets can be found in OUG, AON Bukit Tinggi, Jaya33 and Leisure Mall.

Conclusion : What a meal, I must admit it was good and portion was enough to fill a couple of hungry belly. Service was good even when the place was super crowded. Food was good and was pocket friendly. A 4/5.

Cheers.

Vietnam Kitchen
1 Utama Shopping Centre
S312, 2nd Floor (New Wing)
Lebuh Bandar Utama
Bandar Utama
47800 Petaling Jaya.
Tel : 03 7724 1336

Restaurant In Malaysia : Oriental Garden Delight @ Kelana Mall, Kelana Jaya, PJ.

Being a food lover it always comes with a good feeling whenever I stumble across any new restaurant that dishes out really good food. I have never thought that I would be so happy, I really am with my new findings lately. This is a Chinese restaurant which is situated at Kelana Mall in Kelana Jaya, simply called 'Oriental Garden Delights'.

This outlet looks cool in every angle. There is a choice of open dining or indoor dining. We chose indoor as the environment and atmosphere was so much better. You will find some square tables situated along the walls while at the center you'll find marble round tables dominating the main space. There's two LCD television sets mounted on either side of the area and air conditioning system is at it's best. Loved it.

One glance at their menu tells me that I will have problems making decision in what to order. And I must say that they have a very healthy choice and variety of food to choose from. Chinese dishes at it's best. Service was good as their staff was pretty attentive and helpful and always serve with a smile.

Chicken with Dumpling in Claypot @ RM28.00+

This lovely dish is a must to order. The presentation was superb with the whole chicken in the center and some vegetables and half a dozen of dumplings in it's surroundings with some delicious sauce all over the claypot.

 It is cooked with various Chinese herbs which makes this dish a winner and another thing special about this is that it comes with some meat dumplings in it. Portion was at it's best and everyone loves it. Really delicious and the chicken meat was tender yet succulent. Soup was so yummy and goes really well with white rice. Highly recommended !

Bean Curd with Minced Meat c/w 'Choi Poh' @ RM18.00+

From one winner to another. I reckon this is better than a winner. It should be called a champion instead. Truly champion indeed. This bean curd dish got full praise from all of us. Bean curd was 'gently' fried on the outside but soft as a child's skin in the inside.

Comes with well marinated minced meat, choi po and some spring onions sprinkled above the 'champion' bean curd with some soya sauce for the extra 'zing'. Truly wonderful. Exceptional delicious. Well done mates for coming up with such a lovely dish. Simply irresistible ! Two thumbs up !

Steamed Tilapia with Curry @ RM28.00+

To spice things up comes this fantastic curry fish served in a claypot. The aroma was simply amazing when this spicy looking dish was brought to us. All eyes was just staring at it and I can tell that everyone just couldn't wait any longer to get a taste out of it.

This pot of fish curry comes with lot's of mixed vegetables eg ladies fingers, cabbage, long beans and also comes with some tofu. A tad too oily but amazingly this curry taste really different from what I have had before. It is not too spicy not too much spices. It is rather 'plain' but somehow it was really delicious. My thumbs are up for this too.

Four Treasure Vegetable in Belacan @ RM16.00+

Wow !!! This belacan aroma can be smelt from miles away. What a beauty, what a sight. Just from looking at it makes me go bonkers. 4 different types of vegetables cooked with belacan makes it irresistible and being a Malaysian this type of dish has been a favourite and is always welcomed by all.

Mongolian Styled Pork Ribs @ RM25.00+

I was rather amazed or amused or both when I had my first taste of this pork ribs. It was rather too sweet and the meat was a little overdone which takes a lot of strength and effort for the older folks to chew these down. This was truly not my 'cup of tea', unfortunately.

Conclusion : I like this place simply for their food that comes with good, attentive and friendly service. I like this place for it's simple yet lovely decor. I like this place as it is clean and breezy as the air conditioning system was working at it's best. Very good and delicious food, lot's of variety to chose from, good portion and 'semi' pocket friendly. Highly recommended from me and my mates. A 4.5/5.

Cheers.

Oriental Garden Delight
Unit No.50-G-91
Kelana Mall
Jalan SS6/14
Kelana Jaya
47301 Petaling Jaya.
Tel : 03 7880 5110

Ko Hyang Korean Food @ The Gardens, Mid Valley, KL.

Mid Valley and The Gardens has always been my favorite destination when it comes to shopping. This is a place where you can  find premium brands and products to middle range and even lower range brands all under one roof. Just fantastic. This mall also houses many different types of restaurants serving different types of delicacies .... be it local or Western, Japanese or Korean, the list is endless.

This time my buddies decided to go Korean and this place is located at the lower ground of the 'upmarket' food court over at The Gardens and it is simply called 'Ko Hyang'. This is going to be a 'first' for me and believe me this is going to be a whole new adventure. :)

Jab Che @ RM14.90+

'Jab Che' is a Korean dish made from cellophane noodles called Dangmyeon, stir fried in sesame oil with various vegetables and flavoured with soya sauce and sweetened with sugar. I pretty like this dish as the flavour is really unique. Portion was good where it was enough for us to munch on it.

Ra Myen @ RM12.50+

Ooo.... la..la..... This bowl of ra myen noodle is a killer. Just look at the presentation. What a beauty. Ra myen cooked with some medium sized prawns with some strips of carrots, an egg and some spring onion sprinkled above the rest. Wonderfully cooked and taste really delicious. And not forgetting the huge portion.

Ji Gye @ RM14.90+

This pot of soup is a traditional Korean Kim Chi soup which is sourly in taste. Not many will know how to appreciate this lovely soup but once you are into it you will not want to let go. This pot is normally cooked with some prawns, diced tofu, chicken meat, vegetables, onions, some chives, some red pepper and soya sauce for some added taste. Pretty good indeed.

Pancake @ RM9.50+

Pa Jeon as is called in Korean is a lovely dish and is a very popular appetizer or snack. It is made of flour batter, green scallion, egg fried to perfection and to round things off a small bowl of dipping sauce made of soya sauce and vinegar. Delicious.

Conclusion : Good value for money. Reasonably priced. Huge portion. Food quality is good. A 3/5.

Cheers !

Ko Hyang ~ Korean Country Delights
LG-K05, The Gardens
Mid Valley City
59200 Kuala Lumpur.

Belly Good @ Sunway Mentari.

I truly admire this beautifully well designed logo or signage of this pretty cool restaurant that I will dine at in Sunway Mentari. It truly speaks out what this restaurant could do to one's belly and how good the food can be. It is such a beautiful creation and I simply like it very much.

As it speaks, this place is called 'Belly Good' and I was told that they serves one of the best and finest pork cuisine in town. Oink! Oink! the two piglets look so adorable, don't they .... LOL

It was a beautiful afternoon and we were so glad that our uncle extended his lunch invitation to us. And I being a porkie lover wouldn't want to miss this opportunity to try out something new and old from a new ... well almost new restaurant situated in Sunway Mentari.

The setup of this outlet is simple and have a touch of fine dining class to it. Tables were well placed and well positioned with some really beautiful shades with cool lights looming above truly make this place cozy.

On the left side is where drinks were made and prepared while if one walks further towards the back you will see and witness how the food was done and cooked. If you are a fan for pork belly, pork chop, bacon, pasta, pork ribs and salad this will be the ideal place regardless the age group.

Grilled Bacon Salad @ RM23.90++

Even though I am not a big fan for salad but I was totally attracted to it. It was so delicious especially with a reasonable amount of grilled bacon sprinkled on it. Delicious pork bacon on a bed of fresh mixed salad with honey mustard dressing. Simply irresistible, really.

Forta Bacon Cheese @ RM16.80++

Another winner indeed. I really do not know what I was pushing it down my belly but it does taste good and delicious. As a porkie lover, just throw me anything related to it and I will munch it all down my belly ...... GOOD ! You'll have to experience it this time as I have lost all my words.

The Ultimate Pork Burger @ RM24.80++

Was a little disappointed with the portion of this yummy delicious burger. If only it was made with a bigger patty and a bigger bun. Ah! anyway..... This palate is made of 100% premium pork patty topped with bacon, caramelized onions, tomatoes and salad served with coleslaw, fries and onion rings.

The patty was pretty juicy and that's a big yes from me as it takes a lot of skills to make such a patty. As long as it is still succulent after being in the grilling pan or oven. Perfect !

Grilled Sausage Platter @ RM29.90++

4 types of sausages was presented on this platter ~ pork chorizo, spicy Hungarian, chicken chorizo and garlic oriental served with fries. Sound absolutely brilliant and amazing isn't it. Well, it did knock me off the chair I was seated in.

4 amazing sausages with different characters and tastes I just wanted more and more. My favourite goes to the garlic oriental and spicy Hungarian. Simply irresistible !! Belly Good indeed !!

Grilled Pork Belly @ RM27.90++

This pretty thing was well marinated with the chef's secret recipe and it was served with coleslaw and mashed potatoes. It was well grilled and most importantly not overdone. It was succulent and juicy and that's what's important.

Conclusion :- Belly Belly Belly Good !!! Food was fantastic if only they can maintain the standards they have shown this afternoon. Superb display of food and this is one belly good place not to be missed. A tad pricey but I was prepared to pay to such superb delicious quality food sold here. Cool environment too . A 4.5/5.

Cheers !

Belly Good 
20, Jalan PJS 8-18, Dataran Mentari,
Bandar Sunway, 46150 Petaling Jaya,
Selangor Darul Ehsan.
Tel: 03 5630 1699
Email: reservation@bellygood.com.my