Lunching at Jarrods, Damansara Heights

Since we are on the topic of executive set lunches, let me post another set lunch review that I had recently at Jarrods in Damansara Heights. I was there for a light lunch with a friend and then I saw a placard at the doors displaying the executive set lunch menu at their in-door restaurant. At only RM25++ for a 2-course lunch inclusive of either tea or coffee, I thought it was quite a steal.


Starting with soup of the day which by now I have completely forgotten what it was. Could be somekind of seafood bisque or chowder. Anyhow, I remember enjoying the soup. (Sorry people for not being more descriptive).

The choice of mains on that day was between a pan-fried barramundi or grilled pork loins. I chose the barramundi but swapped the sides of roasted potatoes for the mashed pumpkin which I love.

The barramundi was served with a side of a tangy and sweetish sauce in a shot glass, of what looked like some kind of marmalade relish or sauce. The fish itself was quite "fishy" in taste (my friend had to ask for some lemon) but if taken together with the sauce, it was quite alright. I like the mashed pumpkin a lot though.


And with a perfect cuppa freshly brewed coffee to finish off, you won't hear me complaining at all.

Jarrods
Jalan Dungun, Damansara Heights

Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins (Martha Stewart's Recipe)

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Chip Muffins
Seems like I am experiencing a major "baker's block". It's not that I don't like baking anymore but rather, I couldn't seem to find the time and motivation to bake. But I still bake, occassionally. And for simpler recipes like this Chocolate and Peanut Butter Chip Muffins, adapted from Martha Stewart's The Baking Handbook. Rather good, I would say. And anything with tons of Reese's Peanut Butter Chips are bound to be yummy too!

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Chip Muffins

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart's The Baking Handbook - "Cranberry Zucchini Muffins"
1+3/4c plain flour (recipe does not require flour to be sifted but I sifted it nonetheless)
1/2t baking powder
1/2t baking soda
1/4t salt
2 Large eggs
1c sugar
1/2c vegetable oil
1/2t pure vanilla extract
1c of chocolate chips and peanut butter chips combined
Method:
1. Line muffin pan with muffin/cupcake liners.
2. Preheat oven to 375f .
3. Whisk together together the first 4 (dry) ingredients in a bowl.
4. In another bowl, whisk together the next 4 (wet) ingredients.
5. Add the flour mixture to (4) . Stir to combine but DO NOT OVERMIX*. (*which will result in dry and lumpy muffins)
6. Gently fold in the chocolate and peanut butter chips.
7. Divide the batter evenly into the muffin cups. It should come up to 80-90% full of each cup.
8. Bake for about 25-30 mins or until the top is golden brown and the skewer comes out dry when inserted into the center of the muffins. For even baking, rotate the pan halfway through.
9. Transfer to the wire rack to cool for about 5-10 mins before turning them out from the pan to cool completely on the rack.

Lunching at Prego, Westin KL

Wanna have a good and decent Italian lunch yet do not have the luxury of time? Go to Prego at Westin Kuala Lumpur for their executive set lunches. They have some good set lunch choices that are hearty and yet not too heavy for lunch.

For around 60 ringgit, you get to choose a combination of starter and main, or main with dessert. Since there are 2 of us, we chose a different combi each.

One of the highlights of dining at Prego is their simply divine bread basket. Served with some spicy tomato dip, one becomes full from the bread before the actual meal before you know it. Make sure that the bread reaches you warm.


We chose the Air-dried Beef served with Melon, Fig jam and Toast. Wonderful choice for the classic combination was just lovely.


As for mains, we had Mushroom Saffron Risotto. One look at the dish and you can guess that it was indeed tantalizing.


Another main that we chose was the Stuffed Pumpkin Ravioli. Sweet creamy pumpkin puree encased in slightly chewy skin. I lurrrrrve this a lot. Downside? Only 3 pieces were served. I think I can easily consume at least half a dozen of these by myself. (Now you see what I mean when I said their set lunch is rather light?)


For dessert, we wanted something light so we had Pannettone with Homemade Vanilla Ice-cream. No frills here but pair it with a cup of freshly-brewed coffee,

it is enough to satiate the sweet tooth and provides a sweet ending to a lovely meal.

Service was fast and prompt. You can easily finish lunch under an hour's time from the time you sat down at the table.

(Click here for links to my other reviews on Prego)
Prego Restaurant
Westin Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.

Happy New Year 2008!

Another year had passed and another brand new year had just arrived.
Here's wishing everyone a HAPPY NEW YEAR and May You Have a Great Year Ahead!
And cheers from my doggie, Julius too!
*woof* *woof*

UPDATED: Wanna see his antics? See it here.

More food-related posts coming up soon...

Christmas 2007

Merry Christmas, everyone! Christmas has come but not quite gone yet. How was your Christmas?

Was it a white one? Sadly, the closest thing to a white Christmas for me was in a glass bubble....


Had more presents than you could handle? The after-effect of Christmas shopping for loved ones may have burned a hole in my pocket, but it was worth it. After all, one of the joys of Christmas is giving. And did I say that I love wrapping gifts? There's a strange contentment in carefully selecting the gift wrapping paper and the appropriate trimmings for each individual receipient...., including this one...

Like his master, Julius has to be fashionable on Christmas too!


Had your fair share of Christmas feasts till you are ready to balk at the thought of having another turkey meal?


I had like 5 recipes that I plan to make for Christmas this year, and unfortunately, only ONE materialised, and it was a non-bake one.

Chocolate Cheese Lollipops

HAVE YOURSELF A JOLLY, MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A FABULOUS NEW YEAR!

Bean's Dessert Kitchen

Looking for simple desserts in the vicinity of Subang Jaya? Why not give Bean's Dessert Kitchen a try. Serving a variety of tongshui (sweet broth) and herbal drinks daily, they also serve simple meals not uncommon to those usually found at local cafes and "cha-can-teng". Their tongshui are not bad and I usually go for them but today, I decided to try something different.

I have been craving red beans lately, which I have a real fondness of. When I saw a picture of the Special Red Bean Ice dessert, I knew I had to have it.

Well, it happened to be a hot day so the dessert really worked in cooling down the dreadful heat. It's basically shaved ice topped with lots of tapioca pearls, sago, red beans and "lightly" drenched in milk (not too sure whether it's coconut milk, evaporated milk or condensed milk- haha). The abundance of the big tapioca pearls really gave my jaw a big workout. It's chewing, chewing, chewing all the way. But other than that, although pleasant, it was not that special after all.


I also ordered their yam cake which was one of their recommended dishes in their menu. This was rather good although not the best that I have tasted. Not too dry and not too wet and not too stingy with the yam either. Be sure to ask for some sambal chili to go with it.

Bean's Dessert Kitchen
SS15/8B, Subang Jaya (Corner Shop)

Matcha (Green Tea) Jelly

The weatherman is pretty indecisive lately. The weather is either very hot and "very rainy". On one fine sunny (and very hot) day, I made some cooling Matcha Jelly. Very simple to make.


Click here for link to recipe.

Heaven-sent Desserts from Just Heavenly

Much had been blogged about this little gem of a cake shop in Damansara Heights. But just to remind you of how good the desserts are, feast your eyes on these:



Durian Chocolate Cake (A "definite must-must-must" for all durian lovers!!!)


Death by Chocolate (yumz!)


Banana Cream Pie (yumz!)


Creme Caramel (yumz!)


Chocolate Walnut Brownie (yumz!)

Enough said! To sum it up.....it's simply


Just Heavenly Pleasures
Ground Floor (opposite Chef & Brew)
Epicure, No. 1 Jalan Medan Setia 1,
Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur

What's up, Dog?

What's up with my doggie, Julius? To find out, click here.

Delicious Cafe @ BVII

Mango Cheescake with Lemongrass Infused Mango Chutney (RM11.90)

Delicious Cafe, what else can be said about it as there are already numerous reviews on this place. Some like it, others don't. I have to admit I fall into the earlier category. Although their menu isn't what I would say original or exciting (I can't help but to feel it's mostly inspired by the likes of Donna Hay, Jamie Oliver and etc), it's still a safe bet when one craves for simple biswholesome. However, compared to their other salads, the serving size is rather small and may not be sufficient as a main.tro/cafe type food done well. Not to forget that their well-presented food photographs very well too.....


I usually go for their salads when I dine there simply because I love salads and it's so hard to find good salads in KL/PJ.

Roasted Vegetables Salad with Baby Spinach and Oriental Dressing (RM18.90)
If I am not mistaken, the Roasted Vegetable Salad with feta cheese is a recent addition. It was good; simple uncomplicated flavours that are wholesome at the same time. However, compared to their other salads, the serving size of this salad is a tad small and not really sufficient as a main.


Smoked Salmon Caesar Salad with Anchovies, Turkey Bacon, Poached Egg and Parmesan (RM25.80

Their Caesar Salad is also one of the best this side of town, with the addition of turkey bacon and a perfectly poached egg (yummy!). The smoked salmon is optional and comes at an additional cost of RM6.90. Compared to the previous salad, this is so much more substantial as a main course.


Sirloin Steak Sandwich with Onion Relish and Toasted Ciabatta (RM22.90)
This must be a guy's version of a light meal. I stole a bite and I have to say, it's also rather good. Done medium well, the steak was juicy and tasted good with the onion relish.


Smoked Salmon with Sour Cream and Capers on Toasted Multigrain (RM18.90)
This is more of "my kind" of sandwich. Smoked salmon with sour cream and capers. What's there not to like? But perhaps it might taste even better if served in a bagel.


Nyonya Curry Laksa (RM16.90)
Their Asian fare is said to be pretty good too. This was what my friend ordered on one fine night. Except for the fact that it was a tad less than warm when it arrived, there's nothing else to complain. The broth was thick and creamy and fragrant with spices.

One of my favourite desserts at Delicious is undoubtedly their Mango Cheesecake (see pic above). And now, it comes in an 'improved' version whereby it is served with lemongrass scented mango chutney. Mmm..., mmm..., so good..., so good....!

Previous posts on Delicious Cafe here and here.

Delicious Cafe
Ground Floor, Bangsar Village II

Baileys Malteser Cheesecake

I like Baileys. I like Maltesers. I like cheesecake. Combine all three - oiishi...!



That's the first thing that crossed my mind when I first came across the recipe from the ever talented Aunty Yochana. So when a friend's birthday cropped up recently, I took the opportunity to test the "yummi-ness" level of the cake, whether was it as good as it sounded.



The cake did not disappoint but I would probably increased the amount of Baileys used next time. If you want to try your hands at making this cake, click here for recipe.

Rick's Cafe Casablanca (Klue RSVP)

Star of the night: Port and chicken liver parfait
Once again, my friends and I found ourselves attending the KLue RSVP dinner. This time, it was held at Rick's Cafe Casablanca in One Bangsar. To be honest, I was less enthusiastic about joining but spurred by some recent reviews that I have read about this place, I decided to go ahead.

All of us started with an appetizer of port and chicken liver parfait, spiced braised raisins, rocket and orange salad served with French baguette.

I love this dish a lot. I have had not so good experiences with chicken liver pate before and I have to say that theirs was among the best I have tasted. The sweetness of the spiced raisins and orange slices went great with the pate. All of us except one who doesn't take liver pate loved it and couldn't stop slathering it on thickly on the fresh baguette, which was also lovely.

We have 3 choices to choose from for the main course. I chose the braised lamb shoulder, sautéed zucchini and roasted sweet potatoes.

The braised lamb cutlets were rather tender. But I didn't really enjoy the dish. The flavour, although not bad, was not really tantalizing either. But I did enjoy the roasted sweet potatoes.

The other 2 choices were hot escabeche of blue mackerel and citrus,

and crumbed chicken breast stuffed with smoked duck and cheese, sugar snap peas and sultana jus.

Friends who ordered the former commented that the mackerel was rather "fishy" in taste (but to me, mackerels are like that) and the dish was rather sour (but again, I would expect escabeche to taste like that too...). I took a bite of the crumbed chicken breast and first thought that came into my mind was it tasted so like KFC chicken. Then again, I didn't taste it with the smoked duck and cheese.


Dessert was baked apple pie on puff pastry, red currant compote with vanilla ice cream. I was rather disappointed in the apple pie. It wasn't served warm so the puff pastry was rather hard and chewy as opposed to warm and crispy. The best part was the ice-cream which I think was home-made with real vanilla pods. It could have been much better if only the apple pie was served warm.


This time, Martell came up with 2 new cocktails. The Apple Martell and Orange Martell cocktails. The Apple Martell was really pleasant to drink. I think all of us had at least 3 glasses of it.



Rick's Cafe Casablanca
One Bangsar, Bangsar Baru
Kuala Lumpur

What has Julius been up to? (29 Oct 2007)

Read about his recent antics here.

Pho Hoa (Health Concious Choice) at The Curve

Ice-blended Vietnamese drip coffee with avocaodo (RM7.90)
I tend to drop by at Pho Hoa whenever I can't think of anything else to eat at The Curve. This is because they make a mean ice-blended vietnamese drip coffee with avocado that is simply divine,

Vietnamese Chicken Salad (RM4.90 or 5.90)
and value-for-money vietnamese salads that are better than average and come in generous portion.

Vietnamese Grilled Beef Salad (RM4.90 or 5.90)

Their appetizers are not bad either, I usually go for

Summer Rolls (pretty ordinary but I like summer rolls), and also their steamed egg cake.

Do not be mistaken, this is not the usual Chinese steamed egg cake ("kai tan kou") but a savoury version. Filled with egg and minced chicken, it tasted rather appetizing and yummy when eaten warm. Rather filling as well.



Beef Pho and accompanying condiments
I have stolen bites from my friend's orders of Chicken Pho and Beef Pho and I have to say that the latter is much better than the former. Also, you get to choose your preferred cut of meat or even parts.

During one of my earlier visits, my friend urged me to try this drink, Blended Avocado Juice. Didn't quite like it, tasted somewhat bland to me and definitely lacked behind when compared to the Ice Blended Vietnamese Drip Coffee with avocado (pictured above).


Pho Hoa
(Health Concious Choice)
The Curve, Mutiara Damansara