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 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

i love that my dad's hometown is penang island - the home of awesome and yummiest local delicacies in malaysia.

one of the greatest thing is the opportunity to visit the island of 'you-can-find-the-best-food-anytime-and-anywhere' with the family almost every year and to top it off, at a reasonable price. definitely one of the many reasons why i grew up becoming a foodie.

if you're craving some penang love, penang road famous teochew chendul opened a franchise in klang valley, more specifically paradigm mall just last weekend so you can get a snippet of the soul of penang here in petaling jaya.seating is limited since it is confined within a petite shop on the lower ground. i adored the simple decor that reflected an updated version old school coffee shop that you would find in penang - adorning multiple shades of green, rustic brown and grey and i loved that it was clean!

a few of our familiar cuisines made an appearance on their menu and a couple of classics with their personal twists. there was one unfamiliar one that even my dad has not heard of - kuang jiang apparently is a teochew dish of fried slices of yam, which we skipped this time around.

teochew delights :: assam laksa (rm 7.90)

assam laksa, arguably the most famous hawker food in penang is one item that cannot be missed while in penang and i was interested in tasting how this compared. the broth was clear and light on flavor with a good balance of tamarind tartness countered by slight sweetness, and light on the spiciness with an herbaceous infusion of aromatic ginger flower (bunga kantan). the dark shrimp paste (heh ko) accentuated the flavors of the broth.the nicely cooked noodles were topped with some freshly sliced raw onions, pineapple and lettuce. the mint imparted a minty freshness in the soup. i definitely needed an extra spoonful of shrimp paste, which intensified the taste of the broth that was slightly too light. however, the amount of fish was so scarce that i had trouble finding any fish meat.

teochew delights :: penang curry mee {noodles} (rm 7.90)unlike the rich and creamy curry noodles found elsewhere in malaysia, penang curry noodles has a lighter milky broth. served with a spoonful of chili paste, the broth is mixed completely with the paste to complete the flavor profile. digging into the milky broth, there were other hidden treasures of fresh perfectly cooked seafood consisting of fresh shrimps, cuttlefish and cockles on top of the tofu puffs.the broth in this bowl of yumminess was light, milky with a good balance of heat with a very slight hint of sweetness. the great part is that it isn't as creamy nor heavy nor greasy from the coconut milk and chili oil - which is difficult to find anywhere else. i have to admit the serving size is small for the price.

teochew delights :: rojak (rm 6.90)

this shack serves a lot of my favorite local cuisines including rojak buah which is a malaysian version of a fruit salad of jicama, pineapple, unripen mango and fresh cucumber (it's lacking the unripen papaya) with a shrimp paste dressing. the different textures married with the variety of flavors that flirt with the taste buds makes this an apt representative of the different cultures in malaysia jumbled into one harmoniously. the dressing typically consists of water, shrimp paste, chili, lime juice and sugar. i was slightly disappointed when it was missing the crispy rice flour cracker that i was looking forward to - probably the best part of rojak buah and was compensated by tofu puffs and slices of brown squid. however, i have to admit that the tofu puffs were ideal to absorb the delicious umami with caramel-like quality dressing with some heat mellowed by the slight sweetness contrasted by the end note of undertone bitterness. my mom agreed it was yummy and guessed the secret ingredient was palm sugar to replace the sugar to elevated it to another level.

teochew chendul :: original (rm 4.90)the namesake of the food joint - the original teochew chendul. my dad spoke to the staff and we were astonished that the cendol was specifically delivered all the way from penang, every morning at 5am. the cendol itself only had faint whispers of pandan but texturally, this was made just right. the shaved ice keeps this dessert chilled, perfect for the warm days, where we are treated to a delicate balance of caramel sweetness complemented by the smooth, creaminess of the coconut milk.

a lovely level of sweetness but the elements of palm sugar (aka gula melaka) and slightly diluted coconut milk resulted to the flavors being a little muted. the price might have doubled against the original one at my dad's hometown, but so is the serving size.

with the flavors profile that almost rivals its counterparts at their place of origin, penang road famous teochew chendul is a worthy cure for your penang delicacies cravings right here in klang valley, just with a heftier price tag.

i have a new dessert obsession.

my first taste was about three months ago when they opened their third franchise at paradigm. and i've been more there than just a handful of times.

a couple of signs that it's turning into an addiction :
o1. when your sister tells you that you're obsessed or...
o2. when you're there almost weekly or....
o3. when the staff at the cafe begins to recognize who you are ><

okay, i have to confess. i've once been there three days in a row before. lola japanese patisserie that is baking up a storm in malaysia, cafe komugi {こむぎ} is quickly becoming my tasty obsession - i wanted to try most of what they can offer. komugi simply means "wheat" in japanese. just like its name, the decor of the cafe leans towards minimalist - no flairs, just clean simplicity with an injection of japanese influence. the two decor pieces that caught my attention were the artistic chairs and multicolored tiled floor.

the menu ranges from sandwiches, salads, pizzas to noodles.
let's start with their freshly prepared dishes straight from the kitchen.

komugi pasta {こむぎパスタ} :: wafu mentai spaghetti (rm 22.90)served in a asymmetrical bowl, it was as what the staff has described it to me - spaghetti coated in a cream sauce with salmon roe, served with shrimp and topped with nori. what they failed to tell me was that it was going to be too creamy - too being the understatement.

the pasta was cooked slightly overdone but it was seasoned well. however the monotonous flavor on top it being too creamy (yes, i've mentioned it twice already) without anything to cut through the richness. to the point that when {wy} had a bite, she joked that perhaps the chef had a lot of heavy cream lying around about to expire that they've decided to use it all in this dish which i was progressively inclined to agree... lol.

sandwich {サンドイッチ} :: smoked salmon open face (rm 22.90)after what i might have called a disappointing choice with the spaghetti, i had set my eyes on their sandwiches and the smoked salmon caught my eye. i figured i would have better luck with a sandwich since they were a cafe and japanese at that - so raw salmon should be great too. my assumptions had some truth in it - it sorta fell short of my expectations.

two slices of smoked and cured salmon lies on a bed of lettuce that rests on a crusty bread which was too lightly toasted (almost tasted like they didn't). a squeeze of lemon resonated with the briny burst of tartness from the capers which are paired classically with smoked salmon. however, the salmon itself was not the freshest confirmed by the lackluster color of the fish - the fishiness was echoed in each bite. the dressing on the salad was surprisingly yummy with a sweet tangy-ness to it yet creamy - actually come to think of of it..tasted a lot like thousand island dressing.

omelette {オムレツ} :: omelette with sausage (rm 13.90)omelette was probably one of the more successful savory entrees they serve. {cyh} offered a taste from his plate and from the sneak peek i had from that bite was fluffy, wonderfully seasoned omelette. it wasn't outstanding but it was an enjoyable meal for {cyh} although the serving size could have been a lot bigger since it barely filled him up.

let's switch gears and move over to my favorites here - pastries and cakes {ペストリー & ケーキ} but first : bread/pastries

bread :: mini choc croissant | (rm 1.20)probably one of my favorite breads they have from their many selections. a lovely petite bite size treat, i feel slightly less guilty since the size is somewhat miniature. the flaky, slightly sweetened caramelized crust of the croissant protects the layers of soft, buttery, doughy inside wrapping around the dark chocolate center. just a nice sweetness with occasional dark chocolate burst of flavors. ideal for a quick chocolate and buttery bread fix.

slice cakes :: mille crepe {ミルクレープ} | (rm 7.50)this was my introduction to komugi pastries and cakes for the first visit to the cafe - a momentous point to my quick attraction to komugi's sweet creations. the expertly made thin layers of crepe were soft while holding its integrity with the evenly balanced amount of the sweet cream in between each layers. surprisingly though, the bottom layer is a soft vanilla sponge cake layer to offer some textural difference and intensity in flavors. one pet peeve though was my subsequent tries of this dessert has yet to shine as my first and often find the cake slightly dry towards the evening.

tart :: hokkaido cheese tart {北海道チーズ} | (rm 6.90)

mixed reviews for this cheese dessert variation. i am for the dessert while {chy} thought otherwise. if i were to describe the dessert by virtue of other desserts -the crust was of the shortbread cookie buttery and crumbly sweetness and the filling reminded me of a key lime pie but mellowed by the sweetness and creaminess of the cheese. definite a significant punch of acidity of the lemon zestiness from the smooth cheese filling, sprinkled with powdered sugar and topped with a fresh raspberry. hidden between the cheese filling and the crust was a thin layer of reduced raspberry sauce lining the inner pie tart crust but it didn't do much for the tart.

on the flip side, {cyh} reckoned that the tartness was a bit much and the raspberry sauce reduction tasted a wee bit artificial. so it was a cross in his books.

cake :: hanjuku cheese {半熟チーズ} | this delicious masterpiece is made with select cream cheese, eggs and other surprisingly simple ingredients brought together by a secret recipe (rm 3.50)

i've save the best for last - this is the one thing that keeps me coming back to cafe komugi. my message to the brilliant mind who created the komugi signature hanjuku cheese : chef furuta yoshikatsu {古田 圭克} - thank you. this pastry can be interchangeably called half baked cheese because half baked in japanese is hanjuku. there are two variation - the original and the chocolate counterpart.the original hanjuku cheese has ranked on my all time favorite dessert list - a signature dessert by komugi for the right reasons. what makes it so special is the fact of the lightness and airiness that results to a creamy, lightly cheesy, fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth experience with the lovely amount of sweetness that leaves a honey end note on your tongue. to give it a minor textural difference is a layer of vanilla sponge cake that echoed the softness of cheese itself. simplicity as its best and i could eat a couple of these if not for my guilty conscience. lol

non the other hand, the chocolate half baked cheese pales in comparison. the balance of the sweetness is slightly off and it was more of a dark chocolate pudding like consistency. don't get me wrong, it tastes alright but just not the same caliber as its original counterpart.

for more detailed reviews, you can find it here : http://sians.blogspot.com/2013/08/cafe-komugi.html

{to eat is to love}

my first ben's experience was dinner in conjunction of new year's eve at their franchise in pavilion and it made a surprisingly positive impression. the decor mimics the ambiance of a cozy apartment with soft lights and wooden window panels covering one side of the wall. the other wall is adorned by black&white photography depicting people, love, friendships and relationships. each ben's decor is slight different where one might be cozier than the other but revolves around the same theme.p.s. pictures in this entry are from different visits.at the tables, there are conversation starters that prompt diners to think of what ifs and ponder about their cooking skills. so if you ever run out of things to talk about, it's a good catalyst to initiate a new topic of conversation.their menu was an interesting mix of local cuisines to italian, new american and mediterranean to name a few. it was a melting pot of different cultures on a single menu.

frosties & coolers :: watermelon lychee (rm 9.90)a warm sunny day often calls for a cool, refreshing drink - exactly what this drink fulfilled. slightly sweet, fresh watermelon blended in ice and incorporating the floral notes of lychee which finally ends with the freshness of the mint.it was just sweet enough but what i liked about it was the fact that the three ingredients fused well together but at the same time, i could still taste the distinct flavors of each. overall, a lovely drink.

nibbles :: crispy fried calamari | with tartare sauce and lemon wedge (rm 16.90)true to its description, they got everything done right to a T. served freshly fried, the crispy calamari was cooked perfectly without it being chewy which is always a plus in my book. slightly oily, the lemon wedge was a needed touch to cut through the oil while the tartare sauce was creamy and slightly tart. what struck me for this dish was the spices in the batter of the calamari was reminiscent of murukku. i can't help but to think of the south indian savory snack with each bite as the batter detaches from the calamari ring occasionally.

pasta :: beef lasagna | layers of pasta, minced beef bolognese & cheese, baked till golden (rm 18.90){mw} had the beef lasagna, which has always been her go-to dish. very cheesy and a huge chunk made out of layers of pasta and beef, it is served with a side of salad. from the one bite that i tried, it tasted alright but the sauce lacked the depth that could have brought this dish to life. a dash of salt and a sprinkle of fresh herbs for another added note to the flavor party.

pasta :: crabmeat linguine puttanesca | robust tomato sauce flavored with anchovies, capers & chili flakes (rm 25.90){mw} had dish envy when my order came to our table. i've always loved my seafood and the combination of crabmeat, capers and tomatoes with anchovies just sounded irresistible.plump, sweet and slightly tart cherry tomatoes crowned the dish while the al dente pasta was coated with the savory, sweet yet tart sauce that ended with a subtle spicy note, which thankfully didn't linger on the tongue. all of that are married with the natural sweetness of the fresh crab meat.

the occasional bites with capers introduced burst of briny saltiness that echoed the anchovies in the sauce. the balance of all the flavors orchestrated a symphony, pleasing to the taste buds. however, it was missing one ingredient that makes it puttanesca - black olives which would have lent another dimension of flavor. regardless, this pasta dish was a delight and it became a quick favorite.

my multiple visits to ben's has seen me try other menu items including
o1. coffees :: latte (rm 7.90)
one of the better ones i've had. a lot better than ones from starbucks but far from rivaling my favorite from espressamente illy. creamy, bitter but lacking that light tart note in the end.

o2. desserts :: chocolate truffle torte | served with a glass of icy cold milk (rm 11.90)
as i took my first bite, all i could think of was how many BARS of chocolate were melted into cream and made into a cake. decadent doesn't even begin to describe it and rich is an understatement. it was too sweet and the icy cold milk was definitely a must. the glass of milk was far too small for the amount of chocolate the torte forces us to consume.

o3. nibbles :: pandan chicken wing (rm 9.90)
the dish was basically three chicken wings (cut into 2 pieces giving six) and was seasoned a bit too well - basically, salty. the chicken was still moist and the pandan flavor was subtle which was a nice touch.

for a more photos and detailed review, check it out at http://sians.blogspot.com/2013/07/bens-by-big.html

south korean's premium organic brand famed for its soft serve ice cream - milkcow - the craze for this creamy cold dessert spread like wildfire on a summer's evening as soon as it found its first malaysian home in a kiosk on the lower ground of the gardens mall, located just across from cold storage.even months after its opening in november 2014, the long queue at the counter persisted out of the petite shop dressed the recognizable cow spots of black and white. with only a few small tables for dine-ins, it's probably a better idea to find your favorite spot at the mall to enjoy your cold cups of milky goodness..

made with all-natural organic ingredients, milkcow offers milky way, which is the starting point for the other ten options paired with some organic toppings. there is also the occasional new creations that grace the menu for a limited time, so look out for those!
organic soft serve ice cream :: milky cube | natural honey comb (rm 13)introducing milkcow's signature creation, the milky cube. the sole reason behind my strong desire to try it out for the first time despite the intimidating queue.the foundation: the soft serve ice cream itself. whispers of mild sweetness and of intense milky creaminess with a silky lightness that cools as it coats the tongue in a pleasant manner. hence, making it an ideal base for the lovely, floral notes of the liquid gold of honey that trickled down from its hexagonal wax cells. it may not be everyone's favorite due to the wax lining of the honey comb. the price tag may be a tad steep but it was evident why after the first spoonful which tasted just the way it promised - made with organic high quality ingredients.

organic soft serve ice cream :: black pearl | chocolate sauce, organic salt, cocoball topping (rm 11)with the same beginnings, this was a sweeter choice between the two... the chocolate sauce was rich molten cacao, balanced by a very light sprinkle of salt.as you savor your way to the bottom of the cup, a sweet surprise of chocolate maltesers greets you with its crunchy malt honeycomb center for a texture difference - a nice crunch against the backdrop of soft, smooth ice cream. it was slightly too sweet for my liking even with the salt and a little heavy on the richness but managed to get a nodding approval from my mom.milkcow offers at least eleven of their sweet and cold selections built from the same foundation of all-natural milk base soft serve ice cream, topped with organic toppings. what i love about milkcow is the all natural flavor and the quality ingredients that shines in their own right in each bite.

while some call it overrated, i call it 'yum'! try it for yourself to see which camp you belong to