ori-udon. highlighting the flavored sanuki {さぬき} udon, ori-udon collaborated with the renowned udon expert, fujimoto-san of sanuki udon in taman desa in paying tribute to the noodles that is characterized by its square shape and flat edges.located on the lower ground floor in the mid valley gardens mall, the noodle shack sits right next to cold storage. its decor has taken a liking to the modern wood theme as it mimics the interior of noodle shacks in japan. coupled with the open dining area with an open kitchen, it creates a more casual and relaxed ambiance.there wasn't any waiting for seats since it was without a crowd attributed by the fact that it was still early for dinner. the menu was predominantly udon and with sides of tempura/karaage as well as kushiage {串揚げ} or deep fried skewers for your choosing.

fresh handmade udon - soup :: niku beef udon (rm 9.9o)swimming in clear warm broth, the udon were crowned with thin slices of beef which were slightly under-seasoned but overdone, which was a tad disappointing. the yolk from the soft cooked eggs dispersed its richness throughout the soup as i pierced the chopsticks into the yolk. the soup had a simple, clean flavor profile that allowed the noodles to shine but i thought i detected a slight hint of ginger in the soup. the freshly handmade udon makes a difference with its springy, chewy texture that was pleasant. it was cooked el dente that granted lovely, satisfying slurp-fuls. i thought the soup needed more of a punch of flavor.

ori udon set menu :: set 4 - mentaiko + karaage + green tea (rm 13.9o)served with a dollop of the coral colored yumminess, seaweed strips, a spoonful of mayonnaise and finally completed with a soft cooked egg.stirring all the ingredients together, the el dente noodles were coated with a thickened, rich sauce of mentaiko and mayonnaise, decorated with speckles of dark green from the seaweed. the mentaiko 'sauce' had a rich, salty, savory, subtly spicy, briny seafood flavor that created a celebration on my palate. it may not be for everyone though especially if they are not one for prominent flavors of the sea. personally, i have not eaten this version of yummy mentaiko udon before which i think is rather special.a side of fried chicken which was marinated in ginger, garlic and soy aka karaage { から揚げ} was served with teriyaki sauce sassed by hot japanese mustard. while the dark meat chicken remained juicy and moist, the coating could have been crispier and less greasy. the sauce is a saving grace that compensated for the chicken's shortcomings especially the hot japanese mustard that gives a kick similar to its traditional counterpart of wasabi coupled with the savory, tangyness but with a tinge of sweetness.

side dishes :: kakiage (rm 3)a basket of shredded vegetables, prepared tempura style. a combination of thinly shredded vegetables - which i guessed are carrots, onions and burdock root meant a natural sweetness, with the satisfaction of biting into the slightly crispy tempura shell that encased the soft inside. addictive, especially when dipped in the teriyaki-hot japanese mustard sauce.
however, the greasiness quickly became evident which may have attributed to the tempura shell being less crunchy. the flavors are nice but execution had some room for improvement.

for fans of green tea, rejoice because the tea (hot or cold) is refillable.ori udon has called mid valley gardens home since the end of 2o13 so it is a mystery that i haven't notice this quaint noodle shack until last week. the phrase "better late than never" aptly describes the discovery of ori udon because i foresee a follow up visit when the cravings strikes, especially for its mentaiko udon.

for the full post and more photographs, you can find it at http://sians.blogspot.com/2014/07/ori-udon.html

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

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.

pickle & fig means two things for me.
o1. one of the listed top 2o must-try coffee places in kl visited by says.com.
o2. mission o3: brunch edition.pickle & fig's idea is simple - summarized in three words:
cafe. panini. smoothie.
and it was exactly that, plus some.
but where were the pickles and figs?minimalist is their approach to its industrial chic decor but was lacking accent pieces to bring completeness to its theme: in fact, slightly TOO minimalist/simplistic: a concrete space (both walls & floor) + wooden pieces/furniture + cushioned benches with comfy pillows + industrial lighting pieces.our late morning brunch visit left us spoiled for seating options since it was a quiet morning for them. there were even a couple of patio seating if you fancy the warm ambiance outside. i quickly picked the one with the cushioned benches, which also gave me a great view of their huge artfully written chalkboard menu, that gave the space a punctuation of green and some character to the petite establishment - a contrast to the otherwise monotonous grey, black and wooden space.a selection of fruit smoothies dominated the chalkboard on top of choices of hot pressed panini, cold sandwiches and fresh salads. there were a couple of other snack bites and 2 "others" for those who are not in the mood for bread: traditional fish & chips as well as carbonara pasta. its hearty and healthy selection of sandwiches was a lovely departure from the typical brunch cafes.
once you've selected food and beverages desired, head over to the counter to place your order. oh, it's cash terms only!it was only that after i've paid for my food that i realized there was a monthly specials menu next to the cash register, with po' boy occupying the top half - i wished i could have tried their rendition of the famous southern favorite from {rmc}'s home state, lousiana, to see if they could do the sub justice.
coffee :: latte (rm 8) & cappuccino (rm 8)
cappuccino for me, please!
sometimes, i like to ummm.. mix things up... hehe.
i know, latte and cappuccino are essentially the same with the exception of the thick layer of foam.lo and behold!
it was a pretty good rendition of the espresso + hot milk combination that resulted to a creamy cuppa with light bitterness of the espresso, which i enjoyed but towards the end of the sip, i pursed my lips from the deep bitterness of the foam that lingered unpleasantly for a short moment.
"sigh..so close."
even so, it was one of the better brews i've had.the intricate coffee art alongside the distinct layers of the coffee and foam held so much promise but {hr}'s comment: average.
cold gourmet sandwiches :: smoked salmon and cream cheese | smoked salmon, capers, chives cream cheese, lemon tarragon mayo and mixed greens on focaccia (rm19)to match its decor, pickle & fig serve the sandwich on a metal sheet tray lined with wax paper, with sides of fried potato wedges and a tiny side salad. the side salad was leafs of lettuce tossed in a honey balsamic vinaigrette. to call it a full sandwich would be unrepresentative. a decent amount of fresh salmon slices, lightly cured when tasted on its own, smeared liberally with the tarragon mayo and sprinkled with briny capers.alas, 'twas was the day where the herb called tarragon that conquered and overpowered sandwich-ville with the spicy, sweet anise aroma that were much too stronger than the rest of the ingredients. the cream cheese was cowering behind the mayo that i couldn't taste much of the tangy cheese-like fullness. while the focaccia bread, well, i wish it took on a more chewy texture.
i have to commend the presence of the wedges, who came to the rescue and stole the show. {hr} seconded my views of this starch greatness. still warm in its crispy jacket, the potato wedges were cooked to perfection with the insides soft and seasoned aptly with salt, pepper and spices.
hot pressed panini :: rotkraut pastrami | beef pastrami, rotkraut, mozzarella, russian dressing, infused oil on wholemeal or white bread (rm 19)an interpretation of the classic reuben where its main ingredients are corned beef, swiss cheese, russian dressing and sauerkraut stacked between two slices of rye bread, the rotkraut pastrami mimicked with minor differences.the cheese was melted beautifully with toasted, crispy bread. i understood {hr}'s sentiments of the panini which was good but not close to being his favorite when he was sharing his reminiscence of the fantastic delicatessens in NYC and the abundance of the thinly shaved, smoked corned beef surpassed this local interpretation, at least twofold. {hr} would have loved a bit more zing, which was lacking in the rotkraut and smokiness of the meat in the sandwich too.
one of the drawbacks was the size of the sandwiches was barely enough to satiate our hungry bellies, something we were hoping for its price tag. perhaps the lunch crowd had a different view as they poured in and filled the cafe despite the slow start in the morning.
pickle & fig gathers and offers sandwich favorites with classic flavor pairings, both hot and cold. and the smoothies. and the coffee. just as they've promised.
and oh, yes. i am still searching for the pickles and the figs.
for more photos and other reviews: http://sians.blogspot.com/2014/05/pickle-fig-ttdi.html

frisky.
adj. energetic, lively, playful, high spirited.
frisky goat.
noun. bakery cafe.
"this is the story of 3 girls & one goat sharing the same passion...eat, drink, chill"a new addition to the ttdi neighborhood that started about two months ago.
a.k.a. sian's mission o2.
an intriguing name, indeed. at the mention of frisky goat, curiosity grips onto our interest. that and their promise of waffles and other brunch plates.
however, reading their 'about' section on their facebook page that says "3 girls and one goat", it got me wondering which particular goat?a very petite cafe, located right next to public bank. it pays ode to the rustic style with a modern farm chic accentuated by main hues of blue, white and black. the focus is the red brick wall, on which was interestingly adorned by picture frames of animated animal faces and ironically was missing the goat. its light fixtures danced perfectly with the theme in a loving manner which was also my favorites of the decor.there were also a few patio seating, if you arrive early enough or don't mind the humid heat.as it is a bakery as much as it is a cafe, a myriad of croissants and breads sat proudly displayed at the front of the store with the homemade dessert options just around the corner.
with a healthy amount of breakfast classics as well as lunch selections to choose from, i was there for one reason: waffles. i have had this weird obsession for waffles for a few months now - searching for the one to rival the best waffles i've ever had thus far from the publican in chicago.
and if you are here for the same reason as i do, the kitchen is closed from 3pm-6pm. be sure to be there prior to 3pm. and they are closed on mondays.
coffee & tea :: latte (rm 9) & twg's creme caramel tea (rm 9)i consider my brunch is incomplete without caffeine. basic and simple espresso & milk: latte. the coffee in general tasted alright with nuances of bitter notes at the end. still not close to the best i've had.if you like twg teas flavors, frisky goat has a collection of some interesting as well as classic tea flavors served with a pot of hot water; refillable as long as your tea leaves still impart enough flavor - perfect for the long conversations with friends. {mh} seemed to think her selection was just alright..
almost all day breakfast :: eggs saumon royale | seared salmon & poached egg over waffle, served with sauteed mushrooms, tomato hollandaise sauce & toast. (rm 21)
wafflesssssssssss. oooo!i was a bit skeptical on the whole savory waffles type of deal but i love myself a savory brunch plate. something was amiss about the dish - why were there toasts on my dish? with no butter nor jam. and what were i to do with it since there already is a waffle? carb overload? i think a lightly tossed green salad would have made more sense in adding the much needed color to the presentation and perhaps bring the dish to its full circle.
the waffle was lightly savory, stacked with a some vegetables and a nicely poached egg that lavished its rich yolk to the creamy hollandaise sauce which was slightly tart from the tomatoes; essentially, a creamy tomato sauce. the waffle itself reminded me of a cake-like texture but i was hoping a more airy within encased by a crisp shell.the seared salmon flaked effortlessly with retained juiciness but wished it had a crispy skin and a touch more salt. the mushroom was sauteed with a bit of garlic and salt although my personal preference would be a combination of different types of mushroom. however, all these ingredients combined in a bite did work together - not in an outstanding way but it was good.
almost all day breakfast :: salmon scramble | creamy scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, cherry tomatoes, salad & toasts (rm 17.9o)
when {mh} picked this out from the line up, i realized it was not a good day of salmons out there. lol. i loved the color splash from all the fresh ingredients.the smoked salmon was slightly over cured when eaten on its own but was ideal with the slightly under seasoned eggs, which was probably the whole intention. it was also strong on the smokiness for me, taking away the natural flavor of the fresh salmon but {mh} liked it better that way. the toasts on the other hand: she was left wondering if they deliberately had one toasted and one semi toasted - the perfectly toasted piece won her over while the salad left a bitter taste with the choices of greens that it made {mh} pushed it aside, untouched except for the cherry tomatoes.
frisky goat tries to create a culture of eat, drink, chill but the last seemed to be a challenge with hungry diners staring at my table that i could almost feel them willing us to pay the check so they could begin their own brunch session (in our case, we were seated almost next to the door). the staff were attentive and eager to help, which is a plus and despite there was a line waiting for table, they didn't pressure us to leave. the cafe has gathered quite a following that the petite sized shop is too small of a space to contain the number of diners that it could get a bit noisy for conversations.the cafe strives to bring innovation and creativity into some of their renditions of brunch classics, which is a welcoming change to the almost saturated cafe scene but i think it could go either ways based on the execution of their ideas. it is still probably worth trying to find your favorite brunch dish here.

for more photos: http://sians.blogspot.com/2014/04/frisky-goat-ttdi.html