i was at Tong Yuen in Hilton Hotel last week to taste their auspicious set menus and CNY delicacies
First thing I saw as I stepped in:

Mandarin ducks, money frogs and china teapots. I started taking pictures of this very impressive, spacious and lavish Chinese restaurant.

Oh and I also learned that Toh Yuen is adjoined to the al-fresco and swimming pool area

Pretty good idea for weddings to be held! Nice place to entertain guests and throw the after-party too!

Separated only by a huge glass door



I then took my time to walk back to my table. But still, not a single soul to be seen yet.

So I made use of the glass mirrors they had all over the walls for some self-absorbed entertainment

After catching up and chit chatting, it was time to bring out the food

Toh Yuen's Yee Sang specials was the highlight of their Fatt Choy (fortune and prosperity) menu selections

Crackers represents happiness, peanut and sesame symbolizes harvest, oil represents wealth,

pomelo means good luck, raw seafood symbolizes life and longevity.


I especially loved their Sliced Abalone yee sang. It was fresh, tasty and had that tinge of sweet-sourness in it. The abalone came in abundance and it was very delicious and chewy too (I initially thought it looked like chicken slices before I had a bite of it! LOL)

The 2nd course that arrived was Braised Shark Fin Soup with Crab Meat and Roe.



Trust me, I've eaten this since my childhood days and there isn't really a complete Chinese dinner without it.

Served hot right outta the pot, it was just as good as what my tastebuds imagined it to be. You can never go wrong!

3rd Course : Deep Fried Chicken in 2 Flavours

Now this one was rather outta the ordinary



This poultry dish came with chicken – cooked in 2 different styles – encircled around each other. Yup, it was plated in a very pleasant way! The chicken with the darker sauce stayed in the middle while the whiter chicken surrounded it.

I loved the darker chicken while some of the others preferred the whiter one. Ohwell, looks like both of it were popular among us anyway; seeing that this dish was finished in such a jiffy!
After chicken, came the fish

4th course : Steamed Fish Pomfret with Soy Sauce





This fish fanatic is at it again. White pomfrets are one of my favorite types of fish, apart from Salmon and Snowfish. It was so fresh that I reckon it was just caught right off the sea yesterday! None of that stinky stale stench that some fishes tend to have.

The flesh was tender and was made right for our palate.

5th course : Stir Fried King Prawns in Pineapple Sauce



Now if the fish dish didn't exist, this one would most definitely fall in line being my favorite of the lot!

The prawns were really soft and succulent to the last bite! Kinda the type that melts in your mouth The tangy natural flavour of the pineapple complemented this dish very well too.

I like how most Chinese chefs cut up lotsa random things that their instincts tell them *might* just make the perfect dish and voila! It DID end up perfect after all.

The broccoli came cooked with so many other ingredients and condiments that it was bursting with flavour

Last weekend, the three of us caught up at uppity town Bangsar for some delicious bites and sweet indulgences.

Arrived at a restaurant called Nosh. Had a chat with the waiters and soon decided that’s where we’re gonna be parking our arses for the afternoon.

The facade was enough to draw me closer into the dining area.
Loved its classy, clean-cut concept. Wide spaces were used very well!
It boasted an interior of bright and colourful modern art as well as a neat layout.
On the right was the drinks bar where drinks and light food takes shape.

The main kitchen is inside, of course.

On to the food! May I first warn you that they taste just as delicious as they look in photos?

Nosh did a great job in the food presentation and plating.

Beef Bolognese on Chunky Chips

This was a really tasty beef bolognese topped with melted cheese on a bed of potato chips.

Every bite had a light and hearty, smoky aftertaste. I liked how the chips were cut into wide chunks instead of the skinny versions.

Pumpkin Ravioli

Also another signature Italian dish, this boasted delicate gourmet pasta sheets filled with pumpkin served with a luscious onion butter sauce and fresh sage. Very used to the usual spinach ravioli, Nosh’s version of mashed pumpkins gave me a fresh alternative and complemented these ravioli very well.

Salmon with Lemon Capers

Always a fish person, I couldn’t possibly give this salmon treat a miss. Loved it to bits!

A thick piece of salmon fillet grilled to perfection greeted me the moment I laid eyes on my plate. Served in a lemon caper cream sauce, the salmon came with delightful sides of roasted rosemary potatoes and grilled seasonal vegetables.

I could definitely order another one of this and finish it in under 10 minutes.

Dessert time. Which one should I pick?

We are sweet tooths by nature so we were spoilt for choice!

After taking almost half an hour to narrow down and select our mutual favorites, here’s what we got!

We chose the Peanut Butter Heaven and Mont Blanc in the end.

The Peanut Butter Heaven promises heaven to the last bite – and heaven I experienced indeed.

As a diehard fan of both peanut butter and chocolate, this peanut butter cheesecake slice was right up my alley. It was light, not too heavy on the cheese consistency, drizzled with caramel on top and sat on a bed of chocolate crumbles and chopped salted peanuts.

The Mont Blanc was a chocolate cake soaked in rum and resembled a mountain after a snow blizzard of chestnut cream. Dusted with sprinkles of green tea powder, it gave this treat a slight bitter aftertaste to an otherwise sweet dessert.

It was a fantastic day catching up and noshing delectable food and desserts.

Thanks, NOSH for a delightful evening!

Price range for this restaurants from its lighter, smaller meals at RM9 onwards to the heaviest main event at RM70. However, you can be satisfied with most decently sized meals ranging between RM19 to RM40.

During the weekend, theboyf and I decided to go for some late night bites.

We dressed up and headed down town to the city at midnight for a little Friday date

Steamboat supper!



After much driving around, we decided to dine at the Concorde Hotel KL for their supper buffet.

We walked in and was ushered to a table. Picked our choice of food from the buffet spread and had a steamboat stove-pot sent to our table.

Enjoying our steamboat of TomYam soup x Plain soup

Apart from the steamboat supper, there were Nasi Lemak and desserts aplenty

We had a great time!

Who would've thought a cosy and quintessential British colonial restaurant would be tucked away amongst the lush greeneries; up high at almost 3000 feet above sea level?

Yup, with an authentic British heritage and garden ambience, as well as a bird's eye view of Penang's landmarks and its city skyline, David Brown's Restaurant & Tea Terraces stands tall (literally!) as the perfect, memorable dining spot in Penang

It took us approximately 15 minutes to get up to the peak of Penang Hill via the funicular train

When we arrived, we were buzzing around – just like everyone else – taking in the picturesque scenery of the entire Penang island and mainland.

Our tummies got the better of us so, we adjourned to the elegant, British-styled restaurant for lunch + tea time.

It was not only beautifully appointed, it was baronial – the historical British interior design was lovely!

The dining area was spick and span, spacious impeccably furnished with rustic wooden furniture and a brick-built mantelpiece as well

But being the al-fresco enthusiast I am, we moved out into the terrace; on the porch overlooking the garden.

A little bit of sunshine does everyone good!

French Onion Soup as the starter



It was amazing! The buttery hint and rich aroma of onions was to die for. If you're a fan of onions just like us, that is.

We also loved the texture, so thick and chunky not too creamy at all. Crisp croutons came as an accompaniment.

Mine : Roast Lamb Shank



I loved this in its entirety! It was such a delicious and hearty meal.

The meat had just the right tenderness. It was definitely simmered to perfection, thus juicy and succulent as you sink your teeth into it.

Its rich and flavoursome gravy alongside baby carrots, onions, cauliflower, celery, mushrooms did a magnificent job in complementing the meaty taste. It came with Mashed Potatoes as a side too.

His : Oxtail Soup & Dumplings



Despite the flavourful tomato and meaty taste, most of the oxtail chunks had very little meat on it.

It was so difficult to gnaw into whatever little meat that clung onto the bone! Must be a very skinny ox, with an equally bony tail, methinks. Don't order Oxtail before reading how to eat it properly lest you end up looking like a Neanderthal.



Wanting to make the best out of this visit (and being the sweet tooths we are), we ended up ordering some chocolatey dessert!

When I came back to the table, the dessert was waiting on the table for me!

Tempting.. tempting..Chocolate Crepe served with Chocolate Ice-Cream & Strawberries
What can I say? We both love chocolate. This sweet and simple dish suited our tastebuds well

Fork a swatch of the crepe, dip it with the ice-cream and poke into a strawberry – and that's the way to go!

We took a light stroll around the cottage garden after our meal



Well fed by David Brown's Restaurant & Tea Terraces, it's no wonder we had to walk around a little bit to ease our over-filled tummies!

Pretty sights amongst nature and walking along the gravel path – count me in!

Great times and great memories atop Penang Hill

Did you know that there was a cosy and very quaint Japanese restaurant – Kyoto Lab – nestled directly above the buzzing hotspot called The Pool KL? Bet you didn't.

There was an elevator which took me directly to the upper floor of the restaurant.

Upon entering the premise, I was impressed by the simple yet creative and unique interior already

As I took my seat, I noticed something peculiar right above me.

See the ceiling lamps? There were so many of them & actually tins containing wine, biscuits, soy sauce & oil before



The owner of the restaurant then shared how most of their interior and furniture pieces are actually reused items. How ingenious! I felt as though I was talking to Robinson Crusoe before he even finished his story

The table base and legs were also the metal carriers previously used in the construction industry too.

After checking out Kyoto Lab's highly innovative and resourceful interior decor, I was ready to be wowed by what they have to serve already.

I began to develop pretty high expectations! Surely the food ought to be as good as the outlet looks

I was given the cocktail menu to select my drinks & was spoilt for choice.

There were three pages of creative & never-seen-before cocktails! Ever heard of The Fish Bowl, Spicy Mango Madness, Skittles Bomb (as opposed to Jager Bombs), Pink Elephant, Milo Ais cocktail.. and especially Chemistry Lab Experiment?

The pleasantly sweet chocolate-hazelnut flavour complemented the vodka in the martini excellently!

It wasn't garnished with the usual olives, but with Koko Krunch instead

The next cocktail I had was the best-selling Watermelon Slush (RM40)

It was served in a heart shape carved in a giant watermelon half. How lovely!

I loved its distinct slushy & chunky watermelon & lychee taste, with a good hint of vodka & midori.

Tasted very refreshing & sweet! Something most girls would most likely fancy.

The final cocktail that I am going to write about (because at this point, you must be thinking – where's the food? So I'll let you discover the other cocktails yourself!) is a cocktail named Coco's Nutz (RM28) .

I swear I can't be the only one who found that name particularly amusing. Teehee.

I enjoyed its milky, creamy texture with a good blend of Malibu, Rum & fresh coconut juice. So rich!

Heck, it's no wonder it bagged the Winning Cocktail in 2011's JTI Horeca Bartending Contest

Okay, on to the food! I wonder if the cocktails were served to alter the receptivity of my tastebuds?

I'm joking; of course it didn't! I actually had the cocktails sparingly in between meals, not all in one go!

One of my favorite entrees was the Salmon Potato Salad with Truffle Oil (RM18)

I love salmon. I love Potato Salad. I love lettuce. When combined, I trust it will be absolutely divine.

Another light bite I had was Sashimi Nouyeou Salmon Trout (RM25)

Sashimi lovers will be in for something really different!

Far from the traditional, plain, raw sashimi, this splendid take on sashimi

boasts a zestful but not-too-overpowering sweet & sour flavour with each bite





Next up and hot off the griller, was Kyoto Lab's skewered grilled meat.

Let's take a look at some of them!

Chicken/Beef Yakitori (RM8)



I have always fancied skewered meat doused in teriyaki sauce and this certainly did not disappoint.

Both the chicken and the beef were very tender and bursting with teriyaki goodness)

Gyuniku Asparamaki (RM10).



This was arguably my favorite dish of the evening

Being a pro-health junkie, I took so much pleasure in relishing this skewered asparagus wrapped in grilled beef strips served with Teriyaki sauce & sesame seeds. I ABSOLUTELY MUST have it again!

Scallop Misoyaki (RM15)



The soft & melt-in-your-mouth scallops marinated sweet & salty miso sauce will never be enough!

One bite gets you hooked – not even joking



Is it epic mealtime yet? The following dish was pretty damn marvellous to me.

The Green Monster Lamb Burger with Mint Sauce (RM28)





I love lamb! Served with potato wedges & onion rings, the Green Monster's lamb patties packed a punch!

It was so juicy and the taste of well-done lamb with mint sauce ruled my tastebuds. Thumbs up

The following "burger" blew me away & made me appreciate steak a little more! (I was never a fan, tbh)

Portobello Mushroom sandwiched between two thick slabs of medium steak with grilled Zucchini

Australian Grain-Fed Chilled Tenderloin (RM60)

You have no idea how I ravaged the poor thing.

I devoured the portobello mushroom (heh, I love my vegetables more than my meat), but each time I sank my teeth into it I made sure I had a bite of the thick, succulent tenderloin as well