hallyu hit the global stage in 2oo9 and took the world by storm as the korean wave swept us off our feet in 2o11.

like the rest of the world, i was taken by everything k-related -- k-pop, k-drama, its language and the delectable foods, which was evident when korean fusion recipes hijacked my blog entries. the biggest highlights were my trips to seoul that solidified my love for its culture and country.

when i left seoul, i thought that was the end of my relationship with korean fried chicken and i had to force myself to forget about its yumminess although the cravings occasionally struck.that was what i thought until kyochon chicken {교촌 치킨} entered into my life in an unexpected way. thanks to {mh}, who had the same desire to taste that sweet, savory, succulent delights again; i yelped with joy at our find on the internet search (social media to the rescue once more!) to find that kyochon wasn't too far from us.

we were almost yodelling "korean fried chiiiiiiiiiiickiiiiinnnnnnnn" as we drove excitedly to the new wing of one utama, raced down to the lg floor across from cold storage to find our coveted chicken shack!much to our delight, there wasn't a queue, which was awesome cos we were starving. we knew that all we wanted was chicken wings but that was as far as we got as we looked at the menu. since we couldn't narrow it down, we just ordered all three of the flavors and waited patiently as we mumbled 'korean fried chiiickiiiiiinnn' under our breath.

beverages -- premium teas | natural sparkling yuza fruit tea (rm 5.9o)a pleasantly refreshing drink, yuza fruit tea (which i am guessing is yujacha {유자차} in korean ) is a citron tea sweetened with honey, which was highlighted in the essence of tangy citrus accented by a balanced fruity sweetness makes this a irresistible drink to put down on a warm day.

beverages -- premium teas | natural sparkling plum fruit tea (rm 5.9o){mh} picked the other premium tea on the menu but i had the better luck with my drink choice. this was slightly off putting and it didn't taste natural as the name would suggest. however, it was possible that it was an acquired taste to get used to the combination of tea and plum. i had a quick sip - it wasn't what i would have imagined the flavor to be -- i wouldn't have discerned it as plum in tea for my first taste but it was okay.perhaps it was the hunger. maybe it was us being impatient. or probably kyochon was fulfilling one of its three promises : no fast food, all natural and honest goodness because it felt like it took more than a couple of minutes before the chiiiickkkiiinnnnn finally made it to our table. i suppose that's justification enough. lol.what remains is the taste test!

original soy series :: wing & drumette (s) | crunchy and crispy chicken coated in our exclusive soy garlic glaze. warning: highly addictive! (rm 9.9o)a classic asian flavor profile, the original soy series was slightly sweet but stronger with the umami and soy saltiness with garlic nuances that was difficult to discern with its subtlety. it wears the familiar favorite flavors on its semi-crispy skin that encased the well seasoned meat that remained succulent and moist but not greasy. the small order consisted of 5 pieces of the chicken wing/drumette.

red series :: wing & drumette (s) | glazed with the original hot sauce made from korea's hottest chilli peppers! recommended only for the brave ones! (rm 9.9o)a departure from the usual, this would be a quick favorite with the heat seekers. the red series pack a spicy punch with a korean flair, highlighting their famed hot peppers where the heat persists after the sweetness of the sauce mellows out. a mouth-watering treat of sweet and spicy coating the slightly crispy skin that wraps around well seasoned moist chicken wings. it was a good amount of spicy (i love spicy food btw) and perfect intervals to go in between the savory sweetness of the other two series.

honey series :: wing & drumette (s) | marinated for 24 hours in our special seasoning, then fried to perfection and coated with natural honey sauce. sweet and sticky, but never runny. (rm 1o.9o)my favorite of the three! in comparison to the other two series, the chicken wings appears to be slightly bigger in size (also the reason why the extra dollar on the price tag). as i bit into the crispier skin, this series was prepared differently with a coating over the marinated chicken wings to give a satisfying crunch that was finished with a sweetness that countered the savory pieces of moist meat. the honey sauce left its sweet and sticky mark on the fingers -- ending with us licking our fingers as testament to its tastiness.honey series :: honey stick (s) | marinated for 24 hours in our special seasoning, then fried to perfection and coated with natural honey sauce. sweet and sticky, but never runny. (rm 1o.9o)similar to the chicken wings edition, the honey sticks are just the bigger version in the drumstick form. however, my personal preference is the wings just because the crispy skin to the meat ratio is higher in the wings makes it a more guilty but yummy pleasure.

kyochon 1991 has compelled chicken lovers with so many reasons to visit their establishment considering they are the no.1 chicken brand including winning the new york nbc's best wing award and was consistently chosen as the "best brand" for 11 consecutive years in south korea, to name a few. more than just chicken wings, their menu also offers salad and classic rice dishes for some variety.

for us, it's for the finger licking good, not-so-greasy, crispy yet moist chicken that would keep us coming back. especially when our korean fried chiccckiiinnnn cravings comes knocking.

disclaimer this is written based on personal experience and opinion. experiences and taste buds may vary for others.

yeast and i parted ways on okay terms when we first met for dinner plans. and yet i could not stop thinking about what could have been with brunch. that was reason enough to prompt me to make plans for brunch at yeast as early as i could - the following weekend.

unlike my dinner experience, the morning crowd was a lot more bustling and the cafe could only offer us seats at the counter, which was perfect because that was was exactly where i wanted to be - i can see all the action go down during the busier shift of the day!
entering the cafe, we were greeted by shelves full of crusty and rustic breads where their beginnings were aptly described by the cafe's name. the smell of butter and the sweet aroma of freshly baked pastries from the oven whetted our appetites as the melody screeching of the espresso machine performed a duet with the sizzling sounds from the pots and pans filled the petite cafe as we made our way to the counter seats.

the executive chef of yeast, chef clara champonnois was leading the breakfast/brunch/lunch service with precision and such skills at multitasking, her taking on similar role during my dinner last weekend. in fact, her attention to detail shone when she noticed that the fries were soggy and called for a new batch of fries to be freshly fried before expediting the dish to the runners.breakfast is served from 9am -3pm while the lunch menu for both cold and hot meals begins at 11am to 3pm. while {hr} had already decided on the egg benedict before we even got here, i was torn between a couple of dishes and if we waited for the additional 10 minutes, we'd have an even wider selection of french classics.

caffe vergnano since 1882 - espresso ricco :: latte | (rm 9)brunch is incomplete without a cup of my favorite espresso based drink - the latte. the comforting aroma of coffee hit the nose as i took my first sip. it was leaning slightly towards the bitter side implying that the espresso was over brewed slightly rendering the latte less creamy but i sure wished it was warmer. but a decent cup of coffee in the morning with a lovely foam art to boot!

breakfast - eggs :: oeufs cocotte | 2 soft baked eggs in a cocotte with smoked duck, gruyere cheese, toasted farmer's bread and greens (rm 16)i wasn't sure what to expect but i guessed that the cocotte would resemble a mini ramekin. as i pierced my fork through the melted cheesy layer of gruyere, the egg white oozes out, reminiscent of a half boiled egg. below the golden layer hides the chunks of smoked duck ham which gave it a savory, salty flavor to bring flavor to the rich combination of eggs and cheese. as i look into the petite cocotte, the rawness (and here i mean literally uncooked) of some of the egg whites persuaded me to also break into the runny yolk in order to mix all the ingredients together which was happened to be the perfect way to eat the dish, thank you very much perhaps, that was the chef's intention.the richness from the the runny egg yolk, the creamy undercooked whites combined with some of the cooked whites from the bottom of the mini ramekin, paired with the melted with a bitter undertone of gruyere and salty, savory, smoky chunks of duck is quite a yummy mouthful to dip with the toasted farmer's bread which tasted akin to a mild sourdough bread to cut through the richness. the combination of all the ingredients took part in a lovely complete play with the different textures each ingredient brought. the side salad was no slouch either, where the crisp, fresh greens were tossed in a light, fresh, lemony vinaigrette featured as the contrasting element on the plate.


breakfast - eggs :: ouefs poches benedictine | 2 soft poached eggs on brioche toast with smoked salmon or smoked turkey, bernaise sauce and greens (rm 18){hr} ordered the smoked turkey (although i wished it was smoked salmon) and offered a taste of his dish to which i gracefully accepted.i've always considered the test of a breakfast place is the chefs' skill at making poached egg in which yeast has passed with flying colors. from the taste that i had i liked the softness of the bread and the saltiness of the smoked turkey that paired rather well. {hr} seemed to have enjoyed his meal immensely that he almost licked his plate clean.

breakfast - danish & pastries :: brioche au chocolat | chocolate brioche (rm 5.50)at the nudging of {hr} , i wanted to try out their pastries and i wanted something sweet as my dessert substitute. i have a weakness for chocolate and it was either this or the pain au chocolat. and i figured that brioche might be slightly lighter than the latter. sadly, baked chocolate chips on the top of a bread usually spells burnt chocolate which was almost the case for this one and the brioche was borderline dry. i wished for more chocolate melty goodness was what i was looking here.

breakfast - danish & pastries :: chausson aux champignons | white button mushroom puff (rm 11)

the pastry that i didn't get a photo of turned out to be really delicious. the puff expanded like a mini balloon, proudly displaying the layers within the flaky golden brown shell that shielded the soft, chewy buttery insides. with the perfect amount of seasoning of the white button mushroom filling encased within the expertly made bread gets a yummy in my tummy vote

yeast definitely shone brighter in the morning than it did at night. since i've started the ranking system, they are the first cafe that imo deserves a 4 out of 5 forks for their brunch meals after espressamenta illy. offering a myriad of french classics all day, i am honestly tempted to take my food relationship with yeast bistronomy to the next level - by returning for more pastries and perhaps a shot at their lunch selections

like with every story, it always begins with the introduction..

...followed by getting to know each other....

yeast and i didn't start out awesome. in fact, yeast kinda played hard to get...

the first time i was looking forward to its brunch, i was greeted by closed doors because they decided to take the day off on a public holiday.even so, i didn't call it quits with yeast. instead, it made me want to eat there more. my determination did not waver and i had dinner plans there set in stone the week after even though my original intention was brunch. and boy, oh boy, was i so happy when they were opened for business.as the sun was setting for the evening, the petite cafe that predominantly shone in bright mustard yellow that matched the evening atmosphere was tastefully paired with chess tiled floor while the decor comprised of vintage paintings and chalkboards with daily specials. the yellow walls were complemented by the maroon furniture and light fixtures that were dimmed to create a cozy ambiance. in fact, it was reminiscent of what i'd imagine a french cafe in paris would be.the dinner menu selections, with their names in french (which i will probably never attempt to say them cos that would force me to butcher the beautiful language) offer from entrees to pastas. thank goodness for their translation to english so i could comfortably order my meal without having to guess what the french word means... 'parfait'!

since yeast is an apt name for a lovely french boulangerie, we were so happy to be served freshly baked, warm french baguette with a side of soft butter especially when two starving people are sitting by the counter where the chefs were creating yummy smells. i am not sure if it is a good thing that i could watch how many spatula-full of butter that goes into each dish even though butter makes everything better.the rustic bread had the crispy shell that encased the chewy soft bread insides that describes the plain original baguette, served with rich, creamy butter was the wonderful introduction to what yeast does best. the other variation of the baguette had a nuttier flavor from the seeds and grains which also gave an additional textural difference.

pasta :: spaghetti de fruits de mer "en mariniere" | seafood spaghetti, garlic, shallots, white wine parsley sauce (rm 40)pride fills me up when i could still remember that fruits de mer translates to seafood from french. adorned with two butterflied, shell-on shrimps, the pasta is tossed in a light white wine sauce with a generous serving of clams and squid subsequently garnished with chopped parsley.imparting a strong seafood flavor to capture the essence of the dish, the fresh shrimps and clams were cooked to perfection, parading its natural sweetness in the white wine sauce that whispered flavors of garlic and shallots. however, the calamari was slightly overdone (very slightly) making them a little bit chewy. the pasta was cooked al dente and seasoned wonderfully all around. surprisingly, the parsley was not as pronounced which i would have prefer since it could have brought a freshness and on top of that, it could have probably used a splash of fresh lemon juice or a sprinkle of lemon zest.

tldr version: good but it wasn't outstanding.

pasta :: risotto de courge et confit de canard copeaux de parmesan | butternut squash & duck confit risotto, shaved parmesan cheese (rm 42){owy} offered a taste of her risotto which i was very excited when she did. the dish represented such beautiful colors that mimicked the colors of my favorite-est season, romantic fall.

the tender and flavorful savory, gamey duck confit that was further accentuated by the flavorful stock the creamy but undercooked risotto. the butternut squash lent a lovely sweetness that was contrasted by the stock and the sharpness of the parmesan. the flavor profile represented a delicate yumminess and could have been something really stunning if not for the slightly crunchy risotto.

post-entree, they presented us with the dessert menu and it was a challenge to say no. it was just easier for me to give in and just pick one to share to officially complete the whole dining experience.

it came down to madeleines chaudes, profiteroles or the souffle but after discussions with the waitstaff, souffle was our pick.

cheese & desserts :: souffle au chocolat, glace noisette | valrhona chocolate souffle, hazelnut ice cream (rm 22)
the dessert menu warned that the souffle would take an additional 15 minutes to bake.we asked the waitstaff if we really had to wait for 15 minutes but he promised it would be done 10 minutes..lol (not that we were pressed for time, we were just wondering) when it was served, i was ecstatic to see how high the souffle puffed & rose where a hazelnut ice cream quenelle pierced the soft, airy, pudding-like chocolate delight, gradually melting in the warm nest of chocolate. funnily, souffle actually means puff in french.

checking off all the criteria that makes an ideal souffle, this chocolate souffle had a melting texture, with a barely cooked and soft, creamy center hidden within the light and high dessert although there were occasional crunch from the sugar. rich on the chocolate creaminess which was great but unfortunately, it was cloyingly sweet that took away what was right about the dessert. the hazelnut ice cream added to the sweetness too which didn't help in this case.

one guy whom i can only guess is the owner of the restaurant came up to us and asked us if we enjoyed the meal to which we responded that the dessert was too sweet in our opinion for our liking. it was very proactive of the restaurant owner to collect feedback from his diners, and return to the back of the kitchen to try out the batter to reconfirm with our comments to share with their pastry chef to see if they could further improve their quality.


yeast bistronomy (bistronomy is coined from the combination of bistro and gastronomy) featured the makings of yummy plats français (french dishes) where the classics shine through the skills of the people behind the stove albeit the pricing is a little steep. i know i'd love to go back for the risotto but this time it will be all mine!

even after our dinner experience, i still had intense cravings to get back to yeast for brunch which was the story for the weekend that followed. so wait for it in the next entry for yeast at brunch

find more photos and original post at http://sians.blogspot.com/2013/10/yeast-bistronomy-at-night.html

my love for coffee probably had similar beginnings like everyone else - the need for caffeine in order to survive the day! lol

however, my affection for coffee simmered into passion with each bitter sip, enhanced by the creaminess of foamed milk.

i've never really knew that so much went into making an excellent cup of latte (or any expresso based drinks, for that matter) until i attended a coffee appreciation class by illy. it happened to be the spark that ignited {mw}'s addiction to coffee and also where we were introduced to espressamente illy!

there is only one espressamente illy in malaysia, located in the heart of kl - pavilion. it's a pity that there is only one to spread that lovely espresso love. recently i've only found out there other sister cafe in bv1 has recently been closed.


timeout kuala lumpur's testament to illy's awesomeness came in the way of awarding the bragging rights as the best place for coffee in the 2011 food awards.

my thoughts :: the coffee here speaks for itself.
judging by the number visits i've accumulated over the months - (i'm embarassed to admit but) about more than a handful of times and i don't even live in KL...it's gotta mean something. the petite and cheery illy cafe in pavilion is illuminated by the streams of light through the glass windows and offers a patio for those who prefers outdoor seating (but extremely limited seating during rainy days).

their menu offers a few varieties - the warm, the chilled and the liquor. illy also offers food choices including salads, sandwiches and pastries for the hungry bellies. but let's focus on the drinks, shall we?

caffe calda {hot coffee} :: caffe latte | a single espresso topped with a large measure of emulsified milk (rm11)

my go-to espresso drink has always been latte - mainly because i love to taste the espresso at its purest form (after espresso shots, that is...but i don't drink those cos they are too intense). it's always a treat whenever i order a drink here at illy because i'm always looking forward to seeing what beautiful foam art they are bound to impress me with.what i love about their lattes is the balance of the bitterness and creaminess -- just the perfect ratio of both. the bitterness was evident but not to the point it overwhelms. unfortunately, my first visit was a bit of a disappointment because the bitter aftertaste was so prominent that it turned both {mw} and my heads towards the barista to see if he was having a bad day (we learned that 50% deliciousness depends on the barista's mood that day..lol)

with the exception of my first time, the lattes have been consistently creamy smooth with notes of bitter and whispers of tartness of the espresso. due to its simplicity, a minor slip up would be obvious. the lattes at illy are just phenomenal!

caffe calda {hot coffee} :: caffe fondente | a single espresso served with chocolate and topped with emulsified milk (rm12)illy's take on mocha that made it on my top 10 eats of 2012. it's essentially latte but with a splash of delicious rich chocolate. first, like you do with every coffee beverage, start off with savoring the fragrant, rich aroma of the beans that hits the nose. then combine it with the sensation of your tastebuds when the slight richness and sweetness of the chocolate danced with the bitterness of the espresso and finally made whole by the creamy and warm, foamed milk. the combination of the three different flavor profiles performed a lovely symphony for the tastebuds.i'd recommend this for chocolate and latte lovers alike. and for those who would like to begin a relationship with espresso and loves hot chocolate, this is the perfect drink as an introduction to the wonders of coffee. my favoritest espresso based drink, thus far.

caffe calda {hot coffee} :: cioccolata calda | delicious italian hot chocolate (rm13){mw} was not up for caffeine during one of our visits. and she was also curious how their hot chocolate would fare. her comment was it was too heavy on the milk alongside with the weak chocolate flavor made this a no go for her. her ultimate comment was :: stick to coffee at illy! lol. oh, she tried a sip of my cafe fondente and definitely had a case of drink envy! lol.

caffe calda {hot coffee} :: mugaccino | a single espresso topped with warm emulsified milk (rm11)

similar to the latte, this cappuccino by illy had the similar makings of an excellent mug of coffee - perfectly pressed espresso and foamy, warm milk. however, the slight difference in taste was the cappuccino was slightly less creamy and the bitterness was more apparent. still lovely but i gotta to give it to the lattes. i had a friend, {mnw} who commented the taste was light yet strong in flavor - perfection.

cakes :: red velvet slice (rm15)i'm always on the lookout for a delicious red velvet slice since it is my favorite type of cupcake. plus {mw} has never had one before so i figured this was a good pick to try. while illy excels at coffee making, not the same can be said for their red velvet cake baking. the cake lacked the cocoa flavor and was really too sweet for my liking. one saving grace was that it was moist. the cream cheese frosting had a prominent cream cheese flavor but i didn't like the texture of it. and it could definitely do without the red frosting decoration on top of the cake.

if you ever order these drinks to go, don't forget to appreciate the barrista's artistic expression using foam! i was rather surprised when i opened the cap and saw the intricate foam artwork! you'd imagine that they wouldn't bother with it since it's concealed in a cup but omg, they do! pretty, isn't it? ^^i suppose i should try the cold ones on my own. since i am a creature of habit, i enjoy the warm ones immensely even though the weather here is hot & humid... so evidently, i tend to gravitate to things that i know are awesomely yummylicious.

that's probably also the reason behind the inevitable sighting of me making a beeline towards espressamente illy so often for a glass of addictive caffeine loaded creaminess it's currently reigning as my favorite coffee place to go. caffeine cravings? give espressamente illy a shot and maybe you'd find your favorite cuppa joe here

since i am a creature of habit, i enjoy the warm coffee offerings immensely even though the weather here is hot & humid... so evidently, i tend to gravitate to things that i know are awesomely yummylicious.

that's probably also the reason behind the inevitable sighting of me making a beeline towards espressamente illy so often for a glass of addictive caffeine loaded creaminess it's currently reigning as my favorite coffee place to go. caffeine cravings? give espressamente illy a shot and maybe you'd find your favorite cuppa joe here

read more about it here :: http://sians.blogspot.com/2013/01/espressamente-illy.html