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sians
This is sians living in Kelana Jaya. I like to hang out in Kuala Lumpur City Center, Bangsar, Kelana Jaya. Japanese, Malaysian variety, French are my favorite cuisines. I also love Café, Restaurant, Street Food.
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Categories : Italian | Café | Burgers / Sandwiches | Sweets/Snack

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 smile 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 smile

read more about it here :: http://sians.blogspot.com/2013/01/espressamente-illy.html
 
Recommended Dish(es):  caffe fondente
 
Spending per head: Approximately RM13(其他)

Other Ratings:
Taste
 4  |  
Environment
 4  |  
Service
 3  |  
Clean
 4  |  
Value for Money
 3

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bbc waffles • standing theory Smile Jul 15, 2014   
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Categories : Western variety | Café | Sweets/Snack

this plate of awesomeness deserved its own entry. it's been around since nov 2o13 but it was only about 8 months later that i stumbled upon this brunch delight on my instagram feed.

it was an immediate reaction. waffles always catch my attention effortlessly and the rest was history. i knew i had to a piece of it and quickly. thus, off i went to standing theory in ss2 that very weekend.
front of the store

front of the store

 
all for this must-have dish: THE b.b.c. waffle.


we reached the cafe that was situated within a commercial row in the midst of the housing area and finding a parking space was a little challenging since parking was so limited and the road was narrow.
outdoor seating

outdoor seating

 
the decor took on an affinity towards industrial minimalist with a splash of red punctuating the grey walls. similarly, the collection of mismatched tables, stools and chairs seemed to echo the theme with some injection of colors and finally finished with exposed bulb lamp to complete the story. i kinda adore the blackboard art on the menu behind the counter as well as the signs for the restrooms - a personal touch
minimalist industrial decor

minimalist industrial decor

 
mismatched tables & chairs

mismatched tables & chairs

 
the petite menu for brunch/ lunch (11 am - 4:3opm) was limited and all four items were unrelated and from different regions.
brunch/lunch menu

brunch/lunch menu

 
my first impression, this cafe has the case of identity crisis. however, on the flip side, it offers enough variation and perhaps they only serve food that they are proud to have their reputation pegged onto - as they have admitted on their facebook page.

i think it took me longer to decide on the drink since the food was decided even before i got here. lol. btw, orders and payment are at the counter, cash only [#protip] but the food & drinks will be served at your table. glasses of plain water - self service at the counter, please.

drinks all day -- tea/chocolate
:: earl grey | (rm 7)

 
standing theory serves ronnefeldt tea which is founded in frankfurt by its namesake and it has been served in premium hotels and gourmet restaurants all around the world. {owy} seemed to enjoy the brew.

drinks all day -- white
:: cappuccino | (rm 1o)

 
their coffee menu offers flat white and cappuccino but no latte. however, the layer of coffee foam suggested this cup was more akin to a latte instead of cappucino. a lovely presentation with the coffee art and tiny cookie on the side. a decent cuppa joe but not as smooth and had a borderline over-brewed bitterness end note on the tongue.

lunch :: b.b.c. waffles | waffles, smoked bacon, banana, fat baby cornflake ice cream + gula melaka syrup (rm 16)

this was the classic case of savory + sweet combination, which is probably one of my favorite-est flavor profile.
b.b.c waffles

b.b.c waffles

 
b.b.c.= bacon. banana, cornflakes ice cream.

say whattttttt?

what intrigued me more than the combination of the ice cream, waffles and bacon was the cornflakes ice cream. and the fact that it bore the name fat baby ice cream.

fat baby ice cream lovingly describes their cornflakes flavor as ::
fat baby's cornflakes ice cream

fat baby's cornflakes ice cream

 
"we’ve all done it, soaked our cornflakes in the milk to get that slightly smoky milk flavour – that flavor is, what we believe, the best bit of eating cereal in the morning. This ice cream captures that and we’ve even added clusters of cornflakes caramelised with honey to boot. Truly a breakfast of champions in our books!"

how i see it, this dish could do no wrong. it has already won half the battle even before i tasted it with its main elements
savory + sweet combination

savory + sweet combination

 
√ bacon {my motto: everything is better with bacon.}
√ waffle {well, it is my current obsession.}
√ ice cream {and a breakfast for champions one at that. 'fat baby' says so.}
√ banana { add something healthy to make us feel better}

first bite : yummmmm.. i smiled. *pause*
such satisfaction.

 
the flavors of warm, smoky and savory, crispy bacon contrasted harmoniously with the cold creamy, slightly sweetened milk flavored ice cream with a the soft banana forked with waffle that absorbed some of the rounded sweetness of the palm sugar syrup. what made the dish special was fat baby's cornflakes ice cream which was as promised and i was pleasantly surprised with the occasional cornflakes that remained crunchy. it was reminiscent of frosted flakes in very cold milk.

i loved the bbc waffle despite the waffles itself was overcooked where its texture was crispy all the way through with burnt edges where i was hoping more of an airy inside encased by crispy shell. (fix this pleaseeeee!) it also made me wonder if the dish could be elevated with the banana caramelized.

 
i have to admit that i am very biased towards savory + sweet combinations especially when it involves bacon and waffles. the b.b.c. waffle at the standing theory has clinched a spot on my favorite brunch food list and i can't wait to go back to have seconds. so i guess it doesn't matter if their menu only limited to four dishes for lunch cos i will always go back for the chosen one.

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

more photos and full entry can be found at :: http://sians.blogspot.com/2014/07/bbc-waffles-standing-theory.html
 
Recommended Dish(es):  b.b.c waffles
 
Date of Visit: Jul 06, 2014 

Other Ratings:
Taste
 4  |  
Environment
 3  |  
Service
 3  |  
Clean
 3  |  
Value for Money
 4

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kyochon 1991 Smile Jul 07, 2014   
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Categories : Korean | Restaurant

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.
 
Recommended Dish(es):  natural sparkling yuza fruit tea,honey series - chicken wings and drumette
 
Spending per head: Approximately RM25(晚餐)

Other Ratings:
Taste
 4  |  
Environment
 4  |  
Service
 3  |  
Clean
 4  |  
Value for Money
 2

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yeast bistronomy by night... Smile Oct 16, 2013   
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Categories : French | Café | Sweets/Snack

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. smile 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'! lol

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. smile 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. smile

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! tongue

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 smile

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

 
Recommended Dish(es):  duck risotto
 
Spending per head: Approximately RM50(晚餐)

Other Ratings:
Taste
 3  |  
Environment
 4  |  
Service
 5  |  
Clean
 5  |  
Value for Money
 3

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ippudo ramen in kl OK Sep 09, 2013   
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Categories : Japanese | Restaurant | Ramen/Udon/Soba

t was about two months ago when i first saw its picture on instagram.

i was tempted.

as i read more about it, i was convinced to try it as soon as i could find a food buddy.

actually i first heard about it almost a year ago. i was researching on the food scene in tokyo to complete my food itinerary, ramen was on my must try and this place was one of the two options i had a hard time picking out. (funnily we ended up not having either lol cos {ym} recommended her fav, which was located in tokyo station)

i've been waiting far too long, ippudo smile omg it's finally happening! hehe.

located in pavilion, it is actually NOT in tokyo street. instead, it is situated next to nike and chatime on pavilion's restaurant row aka 'connection' section. since my introduction to pork broth ramen noodle, which is ippudo's signature ramen, it's my number one ramen to go to these days over shoyu and plain miso. (so yeah, this restaurant is definitely NOT pork free)

 
the decor was a modern take with an asian twist with main hues of wood, red, black and white. the bowls and spoons are used as decor pieces, which i thought was rather cool. there is also the option of sitting at the counter where you can watch the chefs hard at work. one thing i was not too keen of was there were a few communal tables that i think should not be adopted by restaurants anymore because of the awkwardness of dining with strangers.

 
from my research about ippudo, the one to try was akamaru and if i were gonna do it, i was gonna do it right. surely, the special was what i would go for so i could try different aspects of the chef's mastery.

ippudo original tonkotsu :: akamaru special {赤丸スペシャル} | akamaru with flavored egg, pork belly & seaweed (rm 36)

 
as ippudo describes akamaru as "ippudo's original tonkotsu broth enhanced with a special blended miso paste and fragrant garlic oil. served with thin noodles, belly chashu, kikurage and spring onions. a refined, modern-style ramen."

 
tonkotsu broth means pork based broth. let's start with it since we are on the subject - it was rather flavorful, packed with pork sweetness mingled with miso paste with a hint of garlic and whispers of heat. the broth was rich, smooth and a fullness in a deliciously balanced way but i have to agree with {mw} that it was borderline salty. a lil greasy yes, but expected and comparatively less greasy than the other tonkotsu ramens i've tried.

 
when u place your order, the server would ask how firm you'd like the noodles to be ranging from soft, firm or hard, where i went for firm. noodles are what makes a bowl of ramen. i could taste the freshly made noodles and it was cooked well.

 
when i saw pork belly on the menu, i just had to try it out cos i've been missing pork belly for a while now. however, i was a tad disappointed because despite the fat on the pork belly, the meat didn't fall apart like how i would imagined it. in fact, it was almost a little dry - which i found surprising. i wished it could have been seasoned a little more.

 
the final thing that would complete the ramen ensemble is the seasoned egg. this seasoned egg while cooked very well, it lacked the marination in shoyu like a few other seasoned eggs that i've had before.

 
overall, the bowl of akamaru ramen noodle was not mind blowing but it was yummy that i'd like to return for a second time - perhaps to try something else to see how it compares. although the serving was big that i was stuffed at the end of the meal, i have to admit that the price of the noodles is steep so i might have to think twice before going back. regardless, give it a try if you are in town and are in the mood for some hakata tonkotsu ramen smile

 
Recommended Dish(es):  hakata tonkatsu ramen
 
Date of Visit: Mar 02, 2013 

Spending per head: Approximately RM36(午餐)

Other Ratings:
Taste
 4  |  
Environment
 3  |  
Service
 4  |  
Clean
 4  |  
Value for Money
 2

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