Early Morning Snack

Last friday I had this for my early morning snack. My part two-breakfast. I had whole wheat cereal with skim milk before leaving for work and before 9am that day, i got hungry again. Good thing I grabbed a pack of trail mix at our ref before going out the door and had someone to buy me some coke - zero. This made me full until lunch break

I missed having entries for Food Friday. Hope to join as often as I can.

Have a great weekend everyone !

Happy Eating !

The big Honchos, Kota Bahru

When one is in Kota Bahru, there's 2 restaurants purportedly so famous that if you didn't try the food there, your trip was deemed incomplete. Or so I was told.
Diha, being the efficient hostess that she was, managed to slot in both Hover and Yati's to ensure we didn't miss the local favourites.
We tried Hover first, for an extremely late lunch..

Hover was buzzing with activities- waiters running about with plates of dishes, rice or drinks. I was interested with the array of dishes placed at the entrance, and wanted to start ordering but the waiter kept insisted that we should Duduk, duduk, duduk! (sit!)

Erm, okay...

And so we sat. It took them about 10 mins to start serving...and serving they did. Hover's style was to place as much dishes they could on our tables until we had to stop them. And they were not bothered if we wanted the dish or not. If we didn't eat it, then it's considered not sold. Hmmm, means I've got recycled dishes brought over from other tables?? ._."

The must try was the ayam kampung while the rest are nasi sumatra dishes. The chicken was too salty and sligthly dry, so it was not fantastic. The daging dendeng was mediocre, while the gulai ikan tongkol was too fishy. The pickled whole garlic was interesting, but not good enough draw to make Hover a fantastic meal. Overall was an average experience.

Yati was our last lunch before we left Kelantan..I only had one aim- to try the ayam percik. Diha can choose whatever she like for me to try :). There's no way you could miss Yati, the whole road looked foggy- came from the smoke while grilling the ayam percik.

We got some ikan sumbat (stuffed fish) and salted eggs..

Really cute way of preparing ikan sumbat, they didnt really stuff the fish- the fish was minced and mixed with desiccated coconut and herbs before reshaping it to fish shape and deep fried. Quite tasty, the flavour reminds me of satar.
The itik serati was a first for meNever had a Malay duck dish before, this dish was a pleasant surprise. Rich in spices, the duck was tender and had soaked in the flavours of the spices; this goes very nicely with white rice.

Diha loved the clams in sweet spicy sauce. It reminds me of typical chinese style cooking, a thick sauce version.

The piece de resistance..

Although the chicken was grilled until it's slightly smoky and dried, but the meat was very juicy, fork tender and well marinated. The creamy, sweetish coconut sauce was a delicious complement to the nicely charred chicken. Yati got my vote :p

Restoran Hover is located at 1963-A, Jalan Dato Pati, Kota Bharu, Kelantan
Yati Ayam Percik is located at 847, Jalan Long Yunus, 15200 Kota Bharu, Kelantan.

Going backwards- Model shoot # 1 in DC

Freelance work and a reorg that gave me more responsibility at work has made my life really hectic, and I am trying to catch up and catch all of you up on the family and food events that have been going on. I just posted about a great food and family experience as we took Bridget to an editorial model shoot at PR at Partners in DC, but this was actually the second model shoot for the Dowd girls in just over a month, and since both involved food, I think I should bring you up to date on Molly's model shoot (her before shot with her brother, left) and our food experiences in Shirlington, near DC.

We drove up to DC a little over a month ago , because my son Gavin wanted to use his younger sister Molly for a photo shoot. He is a stylist in training at the PR@Partners at Metro Center and this was a contest for new stylists. We drove to Shirlington, where he lives and had to go shopping for a dress and shoes(a whole other story) before we could get dinner, but finally we were done and since everyone was a bit exhausted, we decided to get food in Shirlington, which is a lovely community with tons of restaurants of all descriptions in walking distance. My son, who has great food as well as fashion taste suggested that we get take-out from T.H.A.I. Shirlington restaurant so we could relax at his place and eat since we were going to have a big day the next day.

We ordered based on my son's recommendations, pad thai, drunken noodles, and beef kapow delight , a spicy dish for my husband. It was a quick walk to T.H.A.I., which looked very posh and warm (I definitely would love to go and eat in when we have more time!), and the smells emanating from our bag made us nearly sprint back to the apartment. I wish I had pictures of the food, but it went so quickly! We each had a little taste of everything, and the food was amazing. I am a pad thai addict, and T.H.A.I.'s were just the right mix of savory, spicy, with just a touch of acid. The drunken noodles were a new dish to me though it was one of my daughter Bridget's favorites, and we were all fighting for the last delicious bites. The beef dish was a hot and spicy counterpoint, and the beef was tender- just what my husband was hoping for. T.H.A.I. Shirlington takes take out to a new level, and thai is a great alternative to Chinese take-out!

The next day we hit the Shirlington Best Buns. What a treat! The smells alone made me gain weight. My husband and I got a coffee and one of their amazing pastries and picked a variety of scones, muffins and breads to take back to the sleepyheads still struggling to wake up. After some of the best breakfast breads and pastries I have had, we each went our ways- Gavin and Bridget went sightseeing and shopping while Young Gavin, Molly and I headed to Tenleytown for Molly to be colored, styled, made up and finally photographed. It was an amazing transformation from a 14 year old whose clothing of choice are any flannel pj pants to a cover worthy model.

Las Vacas, SS5

Jun was very sweet to remember us when she tried some yummy steaks at Las Vacas recently and promptly arranged a lunch gathering to share her lovely experience.
Las Vacas is a butchery/ meat shop serving many variations of beef cuts which later included some tables in their premise and doubles as a restaurant too. The place is clean, well lighted but dont expected great ambiance as that's not Las Vacas's focus. It's the moo that they gave their top priority.

There are a good range of beef cuts here- rib eye, tenderloin, striploin, sirloin etc- grain fed/ grass fed. There's also a choice of wagyu and angus, which we find the charges reasonable.

Both Jun and I had the rib eye (RM56, 300gm)..

Both of us had the steak done medium rare and it was superb. The meat was cook perfectly- though it was thick and huge in portion, the meat was juicy and sweet while the exterior was grilled tender and aromatic. You dont need any sauces as the natural flavour of the beef was so delicious and fresh.

Amy wanted variety, so she ordered the all day breakfast (Rm28)

She was happy with her choice which has a mix of lamb chop, steak, beef bacon, sausage, egg and salad- but comparing her cuts with ours, Amy did admit that the quality differs.

MC had Lamb Chop (RM25.20, depending on weight)

Thick cuts of lamb which I thought was very reasonably priced. The chef did an excellent job of cooking the lamb, the centre was pink and juicy whilst the exterior was charred beautifully. I loved it too, especially the slightly crisp fatty parts :p

Vince and Steph had Lamb Chump (RM23, depending on weight)

They were not too happy though, the cuts were slightly over cooked. But it was still decent.

Andrew who ordered angus steak tucked into his portion with such gusto that I didnt dare to take a picture of :p. He gave the thumbs up to his meal.

I'll definitely pop by again, got my eyes on some nice beef patties, lamb cuts and turkey meat for sale that I'd get on my next visit.

Las Vacas is located at 23, Jalan SS5A/ 11, Kelana Jaya, Selangor.

Russian cuisine, Haerbin, China

As Haerbin's relatively close to Russia, it's no surprise that Haerbin has a heavy Russian influence. It's relatively easy to locate a russian restaurant in the city centre and we went to a couple during our stay in Haerbin..

The first was Hua Mei western restaurant, an extremely popular place for locals and tourists alike- patrons were willing to queue even though the weather was freezing. Obviously we had to see what the fuss was about right?

Started off with some soup and russian caviar..

They called this red caviar which was actually salmon roe..served with butter cups and diced onions. The combo was artery clogging material and it tasted oily and fishy. I didnt like it. Alfred said it tasted like a huge, oily spoon of cod liver oil. I figured the people here liked greasy, fatty stuff to keep their bodies warm in winter.

Ordered a mixture of stuff to share..

The russian ham was a tad salty but tasted like any other ham. The meatballs were oozing with juice and was meltingly tender. Pretty good. The brocolli was bad as they scattered some deep fried crumbs which made the dish freakingly oily. The waitress recommended the pan fried mahi fish- again came out oily. The flesh of the fish was fragrant, slightly salty but coarse. Was a decent dish.

Since it's winter during my visit to Haerbin, I thought hotpots sounded scrumptious..

We ordered the lamb and beef hot pot. Looks the same? :p Left's the lamb and right's the beef. Both were lovely- ultra soft, moist meat served piping hot and warmed our tummies immediately. If I had to choose, I'd go for the lamb with those strong, tasty, gamey flavours.

Our greed got into us when we saw next table having a baked dish..we decided to order it too :p

It was baked cod fish in potato and cream sauce. Yes, by now, we've come to realise that most of the food was fatty, oily or sinful..hehe. I could only take 3 spoonfuls of this- the cod was coarse, dry- i believe it's the treated salted cod fish (bacalhau). The sauce was very creamy, cheesy and having it with thick, mash potatoes was just, well, too much for me to stomach.

We took a break from russian food for a few days and finally ate at Madieer restaurant before we left Haerbin..

Madieer serves Russian, French and Chinese cuisine and was a poshier place compared to Hua Mei. The price surprisingly, was just slightly higher compared to Hua Mei's.

Madieer has a richer history, as it's also a hotel which has been in operation for almost a century. During it's heydays, Madieer's patrons includes Sun Yat Sen and Pu Yi (China's last emperor).

Since Madieer boasts that it serves 'modern' coffee, we decided to try some..

Alfred had the expresso, I had the hazel coffee and Irene had this coffee liquer drink that came in burning blueish flame. The coffee was pretty decent, but not fantastic. We felt rather like a tzar royalty having our drinks served in the eleborate cup and saucer though..hehe

Started off with some salad..

The asparagus salad was fresh, the vegetables retained the crisp and its sweetness. The dressing had this yellow tinge after we tossed it.. I had a strange feeling that it was tumeric..

I cant recalled the name of this dish, but it was beef stew with onions, potatoes and peas..

A comfort food, the beef slices was ultra tender and smooth, while the thick onion ring cuts gave sweetness to the thickish tomato broth.

The grilled chicken hot place came in a miserly size..

The chicken was rather dry, the garlic bits scattered all over the chicken was yummy though.

Alfred had a sudden craving for fried rice and well, he got what he wished for..

Most unfortunately, it didnt taste that good as it had a weird combo of ingredients in it..but he gobbled it down nonetheless..

My fave dish?

Shrimps in hotpot. Very delicious, fat prawns served piping hot in tomato based sauce. Excellent dish.

Hua Mei western restaurant is located at 112, Zhong Yang Street, Daoli District, Haerbin, China.

Madieer Modern coffee and restaurant is located at 89, Zhong Yang Street, Daoli District, Haerbin, China.

Savory Smoked Salmon Entree Recipes

Everyone loves salmon these days for its taste and health benefits. It’s amazing how many folks who love fresh salmon have yet to try smoked salmon or think it is just for special occasions or for adding those valuable Omega-3s to the diet. This tasty fish from the Pacific Northwest can add pizzazz to your dinner any night of the week!

If you are as busy as I am, you’ll appreciate these easy ways to use that smoked salmon and dine like royalty while spending less than 20 minutes in preparing these three great entrees.

• SMOKED SALMON PIZZA WITH DILL CREAM SAUCE. (with thanks to Wolfgang Puck!) Brush a quality pre-pizza round with olive oil. Scatter sliced onion over top. Bake 6 – 8 minutes at 500°F until golden brown. While pizza cooks, make Dill Cream by mixing 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, 1 tablespoon chopped red onion, and 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice. Cool pizza for 5 minutes and spread it over the surface to within an inch of the edge. Cover the entire top with 6 ounces of thinly sliced salmon. Makes 6 servings.

• ANGEL HAIR PASTA WITH SMOKED SALMON AND CAPERS. Cook angel hair pasta as per package instructions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, sauté onion in olive oil over medium-high heat until translucent. Add ¼ pound of chopped, smoked salmon; continue cooking until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add one cup of heavy cream and 3 tablespoons of capers. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Add cooked pasta and toss to coat, adding one or two spoonfuls of pasta cooking water to thin if needed. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Serves 4.

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• BAKED POTATO WITH SMOKED SALMON AND SOUR CREAM. Bake your potato in the oven or microwave it. Place on your dinner plate; slice it in half the usual long way. Top it with sour cream and mounds of chopped smoked salmon. Add a dash of fresh lemon juice. Garnish with a touch of finely chopped fennel bulb and a dill sprig. Each person can make it their very own! One potato & one ounce of salmon per serving.

Tip: When you purchase your smoked seafood from a small family-owned seafood market, you are more likely to get that artisan smoked quality. In addition to filets, we usually have some canned smoked salmon on hand at home. We have discovered endless ways to add its distinctive flavor to appetizers, bagels, pizza, pasta, and so on. I bet I can put salmon into every course from breakfast through dinner! Okay, I have not tried making my own smoked salmon ice cream yet, but hey, why not? I bet it would be the prettiest ice cream you ever saw!

A DC Weekend of Food- Part 1 - Oya

A last minute trip to the city for the second daughter model shoot in a month (different daughter this time) meant that we needed to stay in the city near my son's salon, PR@Partners at Metro Center. Since we were going to be there I wanted to find a really outstanding restaurant, but quickly found out that the very best restaurants are often booked well in advance. I wanted more than a meal, I wanted a great food experience with food and ambiance that matched, something I could never find within an hour's drive of Newport News. I wanted something special, something amazing.

After checking with friends, checking Washingtonian's list of favorite restaurants, Zagat, and fellow bloggers, I picked a handful and made calls and sent emails trying to find one that would take pity on me despite the fact that it was the final weekend of Cherry Blossom in DC. An email to Oya, a restaurant my son had been to before and one that came highly recommended and explained my situation and amazingly they said they could accommodate us. I had checked out the menu and Oya's menu included an Asian/French/American fusion that included dishes as diverse as a crispy shrimp roll, braised beef short ribs, and tofu caprese. This seemed like a great match for our family since we have very diverse food tastes. So with our dinner reservation made, we focused on our main reason for this trip- Bridget's editorial photo shoot. While she spent hours getting her hair highlighted, the rest of us checked into the Marriott at Metro Center Hotel and Molly and I checked out Filene's Basement, just about a block away at The Shops at National Press.

Finally, Bridget was finished for the night and she and young Gavin came to the hotel and we got ready to walk over to Oya for dinner. I have to admit I was a little anxious, because my husband is more of a traditionalist, and while he has adventurous taste in food, he is not that into the trendy, two-bite plate restaurant scene. It was really important to me that everyone have a great time and enjoy the evening. The jaunt to the restaurant was a very pleasant walk, and Oya's sleek glass facade was inviting, especially since we were all hungry.

Oya was breathtaking from the moment we stepped inside and saw the curtain of chains and the long modern fireplace. At this point (the chain wall) my husband said, "Never, never again",and I was really worried that this was going to be a really long night. We were quickly seated at a table near the fireplace, and our server came to welcome us and take our drink orders.While we waited we had time to look around and take in the incredible atmosphere. Besides the very cool fireplace and the aforementioned chain wall, a waterfall separated the front side of the house from the kitchen, a floor to ceiling capiz shell chandelier created a focal point and a wall of white roses continued a theme that combined old world elegance and modern lines into an environment that defies description. As we settled in, my husband began to relax a bit and our server brought us a dish of something that looked and tasted like bite-sized cheese popovers that we hot and delicious- light and airy. I had already decided I was going to take advantage of Oya's Prix Fixe dinner that offers three courses and a variety of choices- I saw this as not only economical but a great way to try several different dishes. Bridget, my husband and Molly all decided to do the same, but my son Gavin, a sushi aficionado, wanted sushi instead, so off we went. As the first course, Gavin Sr. and Bridget ordered the Spicy Tuna Roll , Molly ordered the chicken skewers that came with three different dipping sauces, and I ordered the calamari. Whatever doubts my husband may have had at the outset of the evening, were eliminated with the first bites of food- he thought the spicy tuna roll was the best sushi he had ever had. Molly, who at 15, is always the toughest to please, ate every bit of her chicken and everyone was sharing so that we could taste more than one thing. My calamari was as cute as it was delicious. Delivered in a small wire mesh basket lined with faux newsprint, they came with a spicy Thai chili sauce, the perfect complement for the crisp and tender rings. Portions were surprisingly good for a small plate-type restaurant, meaning that each diner could have a good portion for themselves with still a few bites to share.

The next course meant that young Gavin's plate of sushi arrived along with my husband's roast chicken, my salmon, Bridget's scallops and Molly's Spicy California and Chef Selection. While the music kept the energy up, our table was quiet as everyone was focused on their food which was incredible.My salmon was perfectly cooked, sauces were the understudy and not the star, and vegetables were crisp-tender. How do I know my husband loved his? Nothing but a bone left on his plate and he didn't even comment on the Lady Gaga music in the background.

Though we were getting full, we were anxiously awaiting our desserts since we had read a lot about Oya's selections. Molly and Bridget both chose the sorbet, which was three small scoops, one each of strawberry, coconut and mango. I had the molten chocolate cake that came with a little scoop of vanilla ice cream. Gavin had the bread pudding (no picture-it was gone before I could capture it on film!) that I had read a lot about and he was blown away-he usually doesn't like bread pudding but this dish was so good that he refused tastes of even my molten chocolate cake because he didn't want to spoil that taste on his palate!

Oya was everything I wanted for my city dining experience. So often a place that looks as impressive as Oya does not measure up when the food arrives, but we were all delighted-Oya was a place where the ambiance was more than matched by the delectable food. The Prix Fixe menu has got to be one of the best deals in Washington, but the full menu offers some really delicious sounding morsels that would bring me back to Oya. While the environs are unique and provide a plush and welcoming venue, it is the food that makes Oya something special.

Restaurant Kong Sai, Taman Paramount

Back from a rejuvenating trip at Mulu, shall update on that soon.

For now, I'll write about Kong Sai, a popular eatery in Paramount Garden, for it's home style cooking. Years back, Kong Sai operates from a shack just across it's current shoplot. Guess the business has been steady and they relocate to a cleaner, brighter environment a few years back. Funny that I never wrote about Kong Sai, and during this visit, I finally remembered to bring along my camera :p

Started off the meal with pig's stomach soup..

Fantastic way to start the meal, the soup's piping hot, buzzing with pepper spiciness and the thick stomach slices had a nice, chewy texture.

My first taste of Kong Sai was their famed yellow (steamed) chicken- springy, sweet flesh that goes amazingly well with their secret dipping sauce. Power dipping sauce I tell ya, it enhances the overall flavour of the chicken. Leaves such lasting impression that I had to order this everytime I'm here.

The homely looking stuffed beancurd..

Generously filled with mince meat, take a bite and the light, still warm broth explodes inside my mouth. Simple, yet satisfying.

We need our greens right?

Decent but miserly sized yau mak.

This recent meal, I noticed though, was heavily laced with MSG.

Restaurant Kong Sai is located at 39, Jalan 20/22, Taman Paramount, PJ.