Kuching ho! part 2 : jom makan

I think my stomach capacity expanded these last few days.

No trip is complete without a sampling of the local food. If you’re feeling a little bit hungry now, I suggest you skip this post. It's all about food!! I will not be responsible if you get electrocuted salivating against the monitor.

The following are just some must-haves when visiting Kuching...

A place that serves really good Sarawak Laksa is Golden Arch Shopping Mall located at 3rd Mile. Just look for the stall that says “Garden Laksa”. Instead of laksa noodles, they use bee hoon instead. The broth is rich like the curry laksa but it has a base of what taste like belacan. In it are also taugeh and chicken strips. Big prawns are optional. It’s the simplest version of laksa I’ve ever come across, but it’s soooooo smackalicious! I simply love the belacan and lime dip. I habiskan semua - the dip, the soup - both times!!


Something I can eat everyday until I get sick by the sight of it

Introducing the orh chien, Kuching style. Orh (oyster) chien (fry) is oysters fried in a flour and egg batter, usually with some garlic and/or coriander for flavour. Unlike the ones you find at the restaurants or foodcourts here in PJ/KL or even Penang, the orh chien in Kuching has a crispy base and looks like a pizza. Not sure if it’s the local style of making all their orh chien this way, but I had this version at ABC Seafood, one of the many foodstalls at Bukit Mata, Topspot. Personally, I have never been a fan but I’m now officially an orh chien eater convert. But my stomach says only one condition: Kuching style.... heheheh


Look at the size of those orhs! HUGE......

The barbeque chicken wings in the parking lot opposite Pasar Kota Sentosa is da bomb. Besides chicken wing, they also have barbeque gizzards and the somewhat exotic barbeque chicken kar cherng. My bro swear it’s heavenly delicious but I’m not eating no butt of anything. No way, EVER EVER. It’s not a natural anatomical part to feed on. Unfortunately, no pictures. Hungry laaa.... stomach more important!

Where a bowl of kolo mee can burn a hole in your pocket, go to Restaurant Swee Sin at 10th Mile. My bowl with big big prawns already cost RM8. The most expensive kolo mee on their menu is RM30. I dunno la what they put inside but RM30 can buy me 20 Teh-C-Peng Special liao. Much much too expensive for me. And their kolo mee is so-so only, nothing too special. However, the place seemed pretty popular with locals and tourists alike.



My favourite drink in Kuching: Teh-C-Peng Special. It’s your normal basic teh peng sweetened with gula melaka (palm sugar). Certain coffeeshops serve them with 5 layers and cincau. This one here is the standard 3 layers.



That's all for food. Hope you're hungry and planning a trip to Kuching soon!

aggresive-ism

I'm not fast enough and I can't run long enough. I'm only doing 8.1km/hr on the treadmill instead of at least 8.5km/hr. This won't do.

Conversations amongst colleagues are getting quite animated recently, bordering on cartoonish if I may say so. Just last week I discovered I was anal. This week I'm apparently aggressive.

Today I discovered the digit ratio.

"The digit ratio is the ratio of the lengths of different digits or fingers typically measured from the bottom crease where the finger joins the hand to the tip of the finger. It has been suggested by some scientists that the ratio of two digits in particular, the 2nd (index finger) and 4th (ring finger), is affected by exposure to androgens e.g. testosterone while in the uterus and that this 2D:4D ratio can be considered a crude measure for prenatal androgen exposure, with lower 2D:4D ratios pointing to higher androgen exposure.

2D:4D is sexually dimorphic: in males, the second digit tends to be shorter than the fourth, and in females the second tends to be the same size or slightly longer than the fourth. However, homosexual men tend to have a higher 2D:4D digit ratios than heterosexual men."

Source: Wikipedia

My ring finger, if I measure it correctly, is exactly 6mm longer than the index finger. By far not a measurement I would say “close” to equal length.

Dr. John T. Manning of Rutgers University, in his book Digit Ratio, said that this correlates to a personality which tends to be logical, decisive, and ambitious.

So I speak my mind. I tell off people who cut queue and put them in their place. I'm not likely to keep silent then seethe away with anger. I speak up against injustices and stand firm in what I believe in. I ask for something if I want it bad enough. I know what I want and I go after what I want.

Very the aggressive meh??

Maybe that's why I sometimes think I'm more macho and decisive than a lot of guys out there. I can handle my own bags, thank you very much. Once, my guy friend gave me this advice: If a guy offered to help you out with your luggage, don't turn him down, coz it makes him look bad in public. Whatever. If I can do it myself, why should I let others do it for me? Go find some other damsel in distress to rescue.

But, in the best interest of all male ego out there, I have stopped carrying my own heavy stuff if a knight-in-shining-armour-on-a-white-horse happen to offer help.

Yes, I'm still anal.

singapore weekend

Sundown.

Familiar view as we stroll around the Esplanade, waiting and waiting. I have not been here before.



Satisfying.

Oo-la-la looking PBJ shots. Tastes nothing like it, but better Y Felt like we're miles away from the hustle and bustle of it all at Breeze, a bar located on the rooftop of The Scarlet hotel. Very chichi looking lobby. I likey... must stay here one day.



Gorge.

Carnivore Brazilian Churrascaria. Best SGD22++ I've spent on so far. Just keep the tab on "Sim, Por Favor!" and passing passadors will empty succulent morsels of BBQ goodies onto your plate. I love buffets...

friday.nite.and.i.am.still.in.the.office.

How come ar I'm where I wanna be and yet not even close to what I thought I would be? By now, I imagined I would have the whole world at my feet (and enjoying it), taking the cake and eating it (and enjoying it), etc (and enjoying it). Maybe they're right, you can't have it all. Oh, tis a cruel world....

Anyway, I found a pretty amusing read. Well, at least it brightens up my dull and lifeless day... a bit. Read on.


Be the perfect girlfriend…By Jon Wilde

Reese and Ryan fizzled out, Britney and K-Fed fell apart, and when the dust cleared, all that remained of each blessed union was a crisp pre-nup to divvy up the belongings. Which got me thinking, Why rely on a legal document to fix the end of a relationship when I can use one to create the ideal relationship? So here it is; my contract for the perfect girlfriend. Laugh at it if you will, ladies, but you are about to get some startling insights onto the male mind.

I, [print your name here] (heretofore referred to as “The Lady”), being of sound mind, have entered into a relationship with [print guy’s name here] (heretofore referred to as “The Man”). By signing below, I hereby agree to abide by all the rules as set out within this contract in perpetuity.

Clause 1: Dates
A. The Lady will eat more than a side salad.

B. The Man will not be expected to plan every date. He will be chivalrous, but he will not be the cruise director of the relationship.

C. If The Lady would like to attend an event that she knows The Man will despise, she is advised to do so with other people (See Clause 5: Extra-Curricular Activities). However, should she deem a night at the ballet, opera, or foreign movie house to be a necessity within the scope of the relationship, she should make plans (transportation, tickets, etc.) for this evening herself.

1. By accepting this Lady-partisan date, The Man will be guaranteed one (1) date on which both parties participate in an activity of his choice—including, but not limited to: Attending an athletic event, watching a martial-arts movie, or going out for a large BBQ dinner.

Clause 2: Dialogue
A. The Lady will never discuss an ex-boyfriend.

1. Rule 2-A above may be broken if The Lady mentions a deep and abiding flaw in the ex-boyfriend, while also discussing ways in which The Man betters said ex.

B. If The Lady wants something or wants to know something, she will ask. There will be no hints or guessing games.

C. Any cute nicknames that The Lady has devised for The Man will never be spoken in public. See Clause 6, Section A, Subsection 3 for explanation.

1. Furthermore, The Lady may not devise any nickname that includes a diminutive or that is spoken in baby-voice (e.g., “Little John” or “Snuggle Bear”).

Clause 3: The Bedroom
A. During moments of physicality, The Lady will voice her wishes so that The Man knows how best to make her enjoy the experience. This is expected not only for her sake, but for his. The Man is a prideful being. He wants to know he can do everything right.

B. The Man reserves the right to his favorite side of the bed at all times, no exceptions. He may permit The Lady to rest on his chosen side if he wishes, but should he find himself tossing and turning at 3 a.m., it his right to reclaim said side with no ill will from The Lady.

Clause 4: Family
A. The Lady will not ask The Man to meet her family until at least one month of dating has been completed.

B. Upon meeting The Man’s mother, The Lady will try to learn as many of Mother Man’s recipes as possible. And yes, The Man likes his chicken that dry.

Clause 5: Extracurricular Activities
A. The Man will be guaranteed at least one Guys’ Night per week, chosen at his discretion. He will also retain at least two extra “floating” Guys’ Nights per month in case of an important sporting event or should an impromptu post-work visit to the bar arise.

B. The Lady can never be angry with a man for attending Guys’ Night.

C. The Lady will not call The Man more than once per Guys’ Night.

D. The Lady is encouraged to go out with her own friends as a means for keeping her independence and sense of self. However, there are ground rules for these engagements:

1. She will not ask The Man to attend any event on the day of a televised athletic match, any event that involves the phrase “pot luck,” or any event that celebrates the birth of a child, impending or otherwise.

2. She will not expect The Man to attend a gathering solely because the boyfriend/husband of The Lady’s Friend will also be in attendance. Misery does not make good company.

3. No. Ex-Boyfriends. Ever.

Clause 6: Love
A. Should the two parties remain together long enough to reach Relationship Level: Serious, The Man understands that he will, at some point, be called upon to vocally express his appreciation of The Lady in the strongest method possible. When the time comes, the following rules shall govern the use of Those Three Words Which Shall Not Yet Be Spoken.

1. The Lady will be the first party to speak the phrase. She will do so clearly and while making eye contact so that The Man knows it is he who is being spoken to. The Lady will allow the man at least five (5) minutes to respond in kind. This reprieve does not mean he doesn’t feel the same way, only that he is apt to be flustered, frightened, and suddenly stricken with cotton-mouth.

2. After the first time the Man arranges the words “I,” “you,” and “love” into a sentence, he will not be required to do so in response every time The Lady speaks the phrase. The Lady will also accept “Me, too,” “Ditto,” or a high-five in return.

3. The Lady will never speak the three-worded phrase when The Man is in the presence of either friends or co-workers. This is done out of respect for the mockery that is sure to result should he be forced to reciprocate while with said company.

By signing below, you agree to all rules as laid out in this contract, effectively guaranteeing that you will make The Man a truly happy person for the rest of his life, or until you realize that he is a loser who requires his girlfriends to sign legally binding documents.


__________________________Print your name


__________________________Signature


__________________________Date

Sandias@Damansara Heights

A cause for a small gathering and another excuse to try out a new makan place. Applause and adulations to Ivy Jie who simply insisted we go here after she vetoed my suggestion :p

Sandias is obviously (or not so obviously) a Mexican outfit. A quick google on "sandias" returned image results on... watermelons? Heh, turns out the place is named after a painting by Mexican artist, Rufino Tamayo.

We arrived 7.30pm on the dot and found that the place is very empty save for an uncle having a beer outside. I believe I'm not alone when I say we associate crowdedness of restaurant to yumminess of food. If the queue is out the door, even better. I will somehow refrain from entering a restaurant that has no patrons. It's probably the kiasu mentality at work. If everyone is going after something, it has to be good, no?

But all my hesitations were put to dead the moment I enter. The waiters were very friendly and polite. They pull out chairs, lay napkins on your lap and bring you water. Top class service. The chef even came out from the kitchen and offered to walk us through the menu. I am experienced orderer of Japanese and Italian cuisine but the only Mexican food I can identify with are tacos and nachos of Taco Bell fame. And I don't see no tacos on the menu *gasp*

Oh, here's an interesting trivia: Mr Patrick, the chef, is actually Irish. How an Irishman ended up making Mexican food is a mystery. But we thoroughly enjoyed the food. Proves that nationality is no boundaries when it comes to makan.

For starters, we settled for the Starters Platter (RM88) comprising 2 hot and 2 cold starters. There's Quesadillitas Tricolor, which are handmade masa tortillas stuffed with either mushroom, potato or cheese, and deep fried to golden brown. Looks a bit like curry puff. Taquitos Fritos are similar that they are hand rolled tortillas filled with minced chicken seasoned with cilantro and onions. Comes with fresh cream, cheese and salsa verde garnish. I lovelovelove the Ceviche. It's kinda like tomato salsa with lime juice and small cubes of dory fish. The Guacamole is chunky, nothing like those you find at Chili's or HRC. This version win hands down. Goes really well with the tortilla chips, although I would much prefer it with less cilantro.



I had the Atun Fresco en Mole Verde (RM48). In english, it's fresh tuna fillet in a green mole sauce made of pumpkin seeds, radish leaves and spices. Ooo... doesn't that just make your mouth water? Ivy Jie chose the Trucha con Salsa de Champignones (RM29), grilled sea trout served with rich mushroom sauce, which is good too.



Somehow all the girls ended up having fish. The guys opted for something with a little bit more bite. But... all oso same bite. ALL of them had Barbacoa de Cordero (RM38), charbroiled marinated lamb cutlets served with salsa and tortillas. How unexciting. At least try something different so we can get a taste of it ma, tsk tsk. The verdict on the lamb: 6 thumbs up, 3 left and 3 right hahahah



Do not be misled by the looks of the food. For something that looks decorative, it's surprisingly quite filling.

We probably sampled say 15% of the menu. Mr Patrick highly recommended the Chile Ancho Relleno, a somewhat rather traditional Mexican dish. There's like cheese, lamb and refried beans all stuffed into this huge chili. We're talking stuffed chili big enough to be a meal on its own. Wow. Must try next time.

Something in their dessert menu caught our attention - Ciku Pudding. All of us thought it's try-worthy but too bad don't have. So we decided to head somewhere else for dessert.

I noticed also by the time we're halfway through dinner, the crowd started to pour in. Seems like people at this part of town take their dinner late. The crowdedness/yumminess theory is right after all. We were just early.

Address>>
44 Plaza Damansara
Jalan Medan Setia Dua
Bukit Damansara
50250 Kuala Lumpur

Tel>>
03 2095 8431