Mega Hotel : Convocation Dinner 2011

I'm done with my Convocation Dinner for this year. What a relief for it has caused me tremendous stress for the past 2 weeks. So much so that it affected my digestion. I had stomach problems for more than a week! To relieve stress, I'd pamper myself in various ways - like going for a full body massage, facial, pedicure and hair wash! Lots of money spent there, but they made me feel so much bettter! Phew!

This year, I'm extremely grateful for my kids, especially the girls who were very efficient in organising the event. They produced their own working committee, liaised with the hotel, drew up the programme, booked the hall, decided on the menu, collected the money, paid the deposit, hand-made the door gifts, bought the souvenirs, arranged the seating plan, wrote the emcee script, arranged for the rehearsals, designed the backdrop, printed the programme booklet. They were also constantly reminding me of things I had to do.

"Teacher, have you asked the Principal for the foreword?"

"Teacher, have you checked the programme booklet?"

"Teacher, have you faxed the VIP speech?"

"Teacher, have you ordered the gift basket?"

Lol!!! Thank you girls! I love you all. You've been the best committee that I've worked with!!

Me & the kids
~ Love you all ~

This year, the kids requested to have their Convocation Dinner at Mega Hotel Miri. My school seldom hold our functions there, for reasons unknown to me. However, I was quite happy with last night's food and of course, the service.

Five Seasonal Hot & Cold Dish Combinations
Well, I was too distracted to remember how the little morsels of food tasted like. But since I ate everything on the plate, it would be safe to say that they were yum. Lol. Plus, I was happy that they bothered to dress up the plate. It indeed made the food look appetising.

Seafood Thick Soup

The soup had good consistency, and I could the bits of stuff in there, i.e. the crab meat.

Lotus Court Fried Rice
My girls said this is a signature dish. It did taste alright - savoury with a hint of peppery flavour.

Baked Fish With Veronique Sauce
I liked the fish, but what a miserable portion it was.

Rosemary Roasted Chicken With Mushrooms
The chicken was tender and succulent, and the sauce was rather creamy. I liked this dish.

Zhejiang Lamb Ribs
I liked the mini steamed bun served with the lamb, it being fragrant and soft. The lamb was tasty but it was a bit tough.

Broccoli With Taukan

There were big slices of the beancurd sheet which were springy, some fish maw, mushrooms and broccoli in a sauce.

Mixed Fresh Fruits

Well, it was a successful event for which I'm so very glad. Now is the time for the kids to concentrate in their coming exam. Good luck, kids!!

Lunch @ The Vintage Tea House

The Vintage Tea House is located at Jalan Piasau. It is a family-run business. This tea house features oriental decor. It isn't a very big shop, with marble tables placed closely together. At one corner, the Uncle makes tea in full display of diners. This tea house not only serves food, it also sells tea leaves, tea pots, and other tea-making paraphernalia.

Well, let's start with the drinks. We ordered a 5-year-old Pu'Er Tea.

5-year-old Pu' Er Tea served in a quaint tea pot and tea cups, RM8.00 per pot

The Uncle said that it's best to drink Pu' Er tea hot as it has got detoxifying properties. "I've got nothing left to detox," he said. "I drink this every day!" He laughed. Well, there's not much I know about this tea except that it's a variety of dark tea. But I do think that this Pu' Er is rather pleasant to drink.

The Uncle went around from table to table to interact with diners, and to help them pour tea and to refill the tea pots. He was really quite amicable, and I could tell that he wanted diners to enjoy the tea as much as he did.

We also ordered Longan Tea, which was served warm.

Longan Tea, RM2.50

I liked the Longan Tea which was just slightly sweet, coupled with a refreshing and fruity taste. As indicated by the name of the shop, tea features very prominently in the dishes here.

Chicken Rice

Steamed Chicken, RM24.00 for 3 pax

The steamed chicken was tender, smooth and flavourful. The portion was really huge. We girls could not finish them. What I liked was the rice which was savoury. I could hardly taste the tea as it was very subtle.

Buttered Tea Deep Fried Pork, RM12.00

The deep-fried pork slices were superbly and unbelievably tender. The consistency of the sauce was just perfect. It tasted rich and buttery, sans the thick creamy texture. Sprinkled over the pork were crunchy tea leaves. This is highly recommended!

Pu' Er Bak Kut Teh, RM12.00

The Bak Kut Teh had meatballs, ribs and pork belly chunks. Compared to what I had the other day, he herbal broth was clear, light and delicate. I could not care less for the meat, but the soup was good.

Mustard Leaves, RM8.00

Don't be deceived by this seemingly ordinary dish. The vegetables were fresh and crunchy, lightly salted. It was very good and complemented all the other dishes wonderfully.

All in all, we paid RM69.00 in total. It's my first time eating here, I love it and I do look forward going back for more!

The Silver Spoon

Everyone's been talking about The Silver Spoon. It's at the Miri Waterfront area, facing BSN.

One fine afternoon, after a successful shopping spree with much money spent, my friend and I headed there for a late lunch. It was about 3 p.m., and the place was practically empty. We had ...

Lemon Tea Sour Plum Freeze, RM7.90

Very pricey for a glass of drink. Thankfully I loved it for its sour and refreshing taste.

Pork Belly Soy, RM18.00

The pork was rather tasty, sweet and salty at the same time. Originally it is served on top of a Parmesan Mashed Potato. However, my friend and I thought it was weird to eat Pork Belly Soy with spuds. So we asked for rice instead.

White Rice

Deep-fried Pork Belly with Chilli Lime Sauce, RM10.90

The pork was seasoned and then deep-fried till it's crispy. It was alright, but not really a to-die-for kinda dish.

Pig In A Blanket, RM20.00

It sounds good but it's a big disappointment. Well, it's basically chicken sausages, wrapped in bacon - 4 skewers altogether! There was a choice of sauces and I asked for the honey mustard sauce. Even then, the sauce did not do much to complement the sausages. The salad was forgettable, really. The only thing I enjoyed was the mash. In the end, I took home 3 skewers and it took me 3 days to finish eating them. Lol.

Almond Jelly & Longan, RM3.50

This was a light and refreshing end to the meal.

The bill came to RM72.95, inclusive of 10% service charge. Very pricey indeed.

Dinner @ Meng Chai Seafood

It was about 7.45 p.m. and the place was packed with customers. My friend and I weaved the tables and found ourselves seated inside the restaurant itself. Our orders for drinks were taken immediately. But no one seemed to be interested to take our order for food.

"Are we invisible?" My friend asked.

"Maybe they are not interested in us. How much can 2 girls eat?" I quipped.

Minutes went by and still no one came. The workers were superbly busy walking back and forth, dishing out steaming hot dishes, serving rice, drinks and so on. Not a single one of them bothered to give us a glance.

Thank goodness we managed to flag down someone in the end. We ordered ....

Grilled Sardine
The sardine was fresh, sweet. Grilling gave it a smoky taste. Highly recommended. I loved to eat the sardine with sambal.

The sambal here at Meng Chai is superb. Squeeze in some lime and it's even good enough to eat with plain rice!

Steamed prawns
The prawns were fresh, sweet, firm. They were served with a chilli dip.

The sweet and tangy chilli and garlic dip for the prawns.

Stir-fried Cangkuk Manis with Egg

This dish is moist and very tasty, one of the best that I'd eaten.

The bill came to RM62.00 inclusive of drinks. I thought it was reasonable. A great place to have great seafood if you are here in Miri.

Klang Bak Kut Teh in Miri

It is a corner shop in Permyjaya. It is not air-conditioned, but luckily it is airy at noon. The shop was packed with the lunch crowd, and so it was very noisy. My friend and I could hardly hear each other in the din.

The menu was quite extensive, in that besides Bak Kut Teh, there was rice, noodles, meat and seafood dishes as well. But my friend and I decided to stick to what we went there for - Bak Kut Teh. We ordered one with everything in it.

Bak Kut Teh in Clay Pot, served boiling hot for 2 pax

Everything included big chunks of knuckles, slices of pork belly, pork ribs, intestines, stomach, deep-fried beancurd, beancurd skin, and lettuce. My friend griped that there was no liver which she loved.

Anyway, the herbal broth was thick and flavoursome. I loved to drink it hot. We ordered some deep-fried crullers separately. The crullers weren't the best that I'd eaten, but I loved them all the same, especially when dunked into the broth.

At this shop, you can choose to have your Bak Kut Teh with white rice or Yam Rice. And the both of us opted for Yam Rice.

Yam Rice

And we both liked the Yam Rice. There were chunks of yam in the rice, and was subtly flavoured with dried prawns.

Stir-fried Midin in Red Rice Wine

The Midin did not look very appetising. My friend thought it was too oily. But in fact, it did taste alright.

Well, I am not sure whether the Bak Kut Teh is as authentic as they claim to be. But I do like it here, and I don't mind coming back for more!

Lie To Me

The First Shop of Coffee Prince is one of my favourite Korean dramas. It is there that I discovered Yoon Eun Hye, and I must say that her performance there as a tomboy is superb, earning her a Best Actress award at the Baeksang Arts Award in 2008. The success of The First Shop of Coffee Prince elevated her stardom in Hallyuwood, and she became one of the most sought after actresses.

Hence, Yoon Eun Hye dramas are always anticipated. In 2009, she starred in My Fair Lady @ Lady Castle, where she acted as an arrogant brat. I did not find that drama engaging at all. This year, she returns to the small screen in Lie To Me. In this drama, Yoon Eun Hye is Gong Ah Jeong, a civil servant, caught in a scandal with chaebol Hyeon Gi Jeon, played by Kang Ji Hwan. P/S : Chaebol - super duper rich families in Korea.

Yoon Eun Hye in a scene in Lie To Me

Source : SBS

Well, after a super tiring week at work, I unwound with Lie To Me this weekend. So what do I think about this drama?

1) The lie involved Gong Ah Jeong telling her friends that she's married. Her friends assume that she's married to Hyeon Gi Jeon and the situation becomes awkward. So at first, it is quite interesting watching how the story will play out.

2) I like Kang Ji Hwan, especially for his cheerful countenance. I feel that he is sort of repressed as a chaebol especially in the first half of the drama. Thankfully, his character opened up after he finds himself falling in love with Gong Ah Jeong.

Kang Ji Hwan looks good as a chaebol
Source : SBS

3) I hate it when Gong Ah Jeong frets. I think that overdoes it and it's annoying. And she frets overly often in the beginning.

4) Contrary to what some netizens think, I don't think that Kang Ji Hwan and Yoon Eun Hye have much chemistry together. I also think they don't look very compatible together. Kang Ji Hwan looks mature for his age, and Yoon Eun Hye looks too young for him. Psst : I used to be a Yoon Eun Hye - Ju Ji Hun shipper. The Goong couple as netizens call them. Till today, I still think that the two look good together. So I may be prejudiced against her and Kang Ji Hwan. ;p

5) I find the last quarter of the drama very draggy. It annoys me that Gong Ah Jeong keeps pushing Hyeon Gi Jeon away when it's so obvious that she is in love with him. Every time he shows affection for her, she has this pained look on her face. It gets tiring to watch after a while.

6) I enjoy the soundtrack, especially a song entitled "Lovin' Ice-Cream". It's the love theme for our protagonists. The song sounds really cheerful and cute. I like the version by Kang Ji Hwan as I thought his voice suits the song. In fact, this drama incorporates lots of songs in the background, many of them my favourite like "Lucky" by Jason Mraz & Colbie Caillat, "You & I Both" by Jason Mraz and "Count on Me" by Bruno Mars. Ok. I just love Jason Mraz and Bruno Mars.

7) I like all of Gong Ah Jeong's handbags in the drama! *Drool* ..... They are all very tasteful and elegant pieces. What would I give to have a few of those bags!!! One particular Louise Quatorze bag in the drama became known as the Yoon Eun Hye bag and sold out like hot cakes!

8) A few of the characters speak Mandarin onscreen because they are interacting with a businessman from Shanghai. Well, I can't help but cringe cause they sound so stilted. Plus, pronunciation and intonation are way out!!!

Well, in short, I was entertained up till episode 12, and then it became a drag. What a pity for drama that had such a lot of potential. Actually it was a pretty sweet romantic story which was botched up towards the end. Still recommended for Yoon Eun Hye & Kang Ji Hwan fans. ;p

Gardenia Delicia Waffles

I heard over the radio the advertisement about a new product from Gardenia - Waffles. I love waffles, especially when they are fresh and hot from the waffle iron.

Hence, I got interested to try them out. It is sold over at GK Supermarket here in Miri, but for RM2.80 per packet. Very expensive cause its original price is only RM1.40.

So since Bro was coming back from KL, I got him to buy some for me.

2 waffles in a packet

Individually packed

Ready to eat

Well, the waffle was rather soft and light. I prefer my waffles to be a bit dense so that it feels like there was substance. There are many flavours, but I only got to try the Classic Cinnamon flavour so far. The waffle tasted of cinnamon. Duh. Lol. I'm not too fond of cinnamon so I can't say that I'm crazy about this waffle.

I suppose they will taste better when toasted and spreaded with butter. However, I couldntt find any butter in the fridge. Oh well, will try them toasted when next I get my hands on them waffles. Lol.

Dinner @ Lok Garden

Lok Garden, a stall at Batu Lintang, Kuching is an old establishment, but somehow, I'd never been there before till now. It was recommended to us by my Mom's friend, and I'd been there twice in the past 2 months.

Recommended

Oyster omelette
It consists of oysters in a thin wafer-like crust, super tasty when dipped in fish sauce. A MUST-ORDER!

Nam Yu Pork
Pork belly is marinated with fermented beancurd, deep-fried and then sliced. I'd have this with cold beer anytime.

Midin in Red Wine
Ferns are stir-fried in red rice wine. It is great to eat this with plain white rice.

Steamed Garoupa
The fish was fresh, and the flesh was very firm and sweet. It was steamed with just ginger strips, salted vegetables and shiitake mushroom bits. Hence, the sweetness of the fish is retained, not overpowered by the ingredients.

Stir-Fried Crab With Egg
Bro liked the crab, but I thought it did not quite hit it.

Not Recommended

Seafood Thick Soup
No seafood detected, only surimi sticks, and too starchy for my liking.

Stir-fried Cangkuk Manis with Egg
The leaves were a bit tough to the bite, and not torn thoroughly as the leaves taste better when they are totally smashed up. It was also a bit too watery.

That night, we ate in the open air, so it was rather dim and we could not really see very well what we were eating. Our table was also too small to fit all the dishes that we ordered as they were dished one after another. So we had to keep adjusting the plates to fit everything. Hence, if you're looking to eat in comfort, this may not be the place for you. Still, business here is very good, and it may be quite difficult to secure a table after 7.00 p.m.

Next time in Kuching, do drop by Lok Garden for the seafood, especially the oyster omelette.

Shiseido Zen

I'd finally found the perfume I like. And I did it by accident.

My friend asked me which brand of compact powder I used. So I disclosed that I had been a faithful Shiseido cosmetics user for many years. I brought her over to the Shiseido counter where I sat waiting for her while the promoter fussed over her. She was a new girl which I'd seen working there for the first time.

After a while, T****, whom I'd always bought my products from, reported for work. As soon as she put away her bags and stuff, she picked up a square bottle from the counter and started to spray it on herself.

"It smells like medicated oil," I told her. In response, she sprayed the perfume on me.

"It's my favourite," she said. "You should try it. It's got therapeutic properties."

As the scent developed with time, I find myself falling in love with it. To me, it is a rather bold and exotic scent which made gme feel totally feminine.

At the first spritz, I could catch a sharp citrusy scent which later on gave way to a sweeter floral and fruity scent, and finally settled into a fresh and musky aroma.

I loved it! I sprayed some on a tester strip and found myself smelling it over and over again. Before long, I made up my mind. I had to buy myself a bottle.

So, I finally decided to get the smallest bottle lest I get bored. A 30ml EDP cost RM189.00.

http://www.my.shiseido.com/zen/

And this is the very first bottle of perfume that I've bought for myself. ;)

Kolo Mee @ Bishop Gate

Min Joo Cafe used to be located at a very old corner shop at the junction of Bishop Gate and Carpenter Street. It is very popular with Kuchingites, testified by the fact that the small cafe is always packed and also by the willingness of patrons to wait a long time for their kolo mee. The vendor was also known for being unfriendly, but people still flocked there all the same.

I had not gone to Min Joo for years! When I went there this weekend, I found that the corner shop was closed. I went to check and found that they'd moved next door. There was no sign, but I recognised the man behind the stainless steel cooker.

It was only 7.30 a.m., but it was already full. There was a folded plastic table and some stacked plastic chairs, so we were told to set up our own table along the corridor outside the shop.

Then, I had wanted to place my order but was told brusquely that "Everything here is automatic!" So I sat down, and waited. And waited. And waited. About 30 minutes later, someone came to take my order. Then I waited. And waited. It was only 30 minutes later that my noodles arrived.

Kolo Mee, RM3.80

What makes the noodles here popular is the use of malt vinegar to flavour the noodles, resulting in not only distinctively fragrant but also slightly tangy. They are also quite generous with the ingredients, as there were char siu, blanched pork slices, minced pork, fishballs and fish cake garnishing the noodles. Thankfully, it was all well-worth the long wait!

Another popular dish here is the offal soup. One could have their soup customised, i.e. request for specific items in the soup. I asked for one with "everything" in it.

Offal Soup, RM7.00

So there were liver, kidney, tripe, intestines, tongue, minced pork, pork belly, meat balls, fish cakes, salted vegetables and seaweed in the umami soup.

Soon people started hovering around, waiting to snap up our table when we finished.

The food aside, eating here certainly wasn't quite pleasurable at all. The service sucked. The ambience sucked. Still, people would put up with it all, just to consume these delectable bowls of noodles and soup. Oh, why??

Dinner @ Lok Thian Kuching

What a great weekend! It's not a norm for me to be in Kuching when it's not school holidays. I felt like I needed a short break, after 6 weeks of craziness at school. Hence, I decided to come home for the weekend. Many of my relatives were here this weekend too, for the occasion of my cousin's wedding and it was sure great to catch up with them.

Well, I did not make it back in time to witness the wedding ceremony, but I attended the wedding banquet at Lok Thian, one of the oldest and most renowned Chinese restaurants in Kuching. Of the many dishes that were served that night, my favourite were the Roasted Suckling Pig, and the Mango Mochi.

Roasted Suckling Pig

The meat was cut into neat slices, and they were tender and tastily marinated. The skin was trimmed of fat and were very crispy. The suckling pig was served with a dark sweet sauce.

The head made the dish looked rather barbaric. Many left them uneaten, but some of my uncles loved to chew on the tender cheeks.

Mango Mochi

The skin was so soft that it was difficult to handle the dumplings. That was why they were served in tiny foil cups. Inside each ball was whipped cream and fresh mango dices. I thought the combination was rather unique. The mango gave the mochi a very refreshing taste. What a great end to the meal.

Congratulations to my cousin, YTH and his new wife S****. Wishing you happiness for all your lives.