Month: April 2010

Project Alpha 2 Blogger Launch

Who could have foreseen that blogging would become what it’s like today? To be honest, I still don’t think that it’s appropriate to call some bloggers as celebrities, but I guess it’s a term that easily sums it all up. I mean, bloggers are just normal everyday people. They generally can’t sing, can’t act and can’t perform magic tricks (although some do, so I guess it’s okay to call them celebrities). Although bloggers are not in the business of entertaining people, they are in the field of inspiring people. Everybody inspires everybody, some more than others…of course. Well-known bloggers appeal to their audience because they lead different & interesting lives. It’s nice to see and learn what what normal, everyday people can do and how they enrich their lives…along the way learning a thing or two.

It’s great to be inspired by people like Haze, who tirelessly refines her craft and comes out with amazing work of art time after time. It’s great to read people like Su Ann, who inspires me to travel and to see positiveness in everything no matter how grim things could be. Lets not also forget Timothy, who inspires young people to do something successful for themselves.

Project Alpha Season 2!

I feel that Project Alpha is not a show that will appeal to just bloggers but to everybody else. It’s interesting to watch and read about people who change the world but it’s also cool to explore the lives of people who chang the lives of others around them. Now Project Alpha is in its second season featuring Ringo, Joe, Ninie, Niki, ST, KY and the only actual true blue celebrity Azwan Ali.

The featured bloggers.

Remember my post on the behind the scenes of Project Alpha 2 back in January? 3 months later and after so much anticipation, Project Alpha 2 was finally launched! I went to the blogger’s launch last night at Cineleisure and had so much. You could really feel the excitement in the air, you could tell that everyone was genuinely looking forward to watching the show.

With the gorgeous Nuffies.

Rina, Tim and Nicholas joined next :D

With Project Alpha S1’s Aud and kena photobombed by Michael & Project Alpha S2’s KY -_-

With gorgeous Fresh and kena photobombed, again by ST -_-

ST’s got his own bunting!!

So proud of my man :)

With KY and Niki. WTF, Michael -_”

With Kelvin, one of the crew members of Project Alpha. Yes, I know he is pure hotness too.

With Tim.

Do, Re, Mi, Fa

Fourfeetnine is taller!

Jojo!

Pro posing with Joe.

Finally, this google search inspired the picture below:

Not having knees gives you night vision.

Project Alpha Season 2 will be premiering on 19 April 2010 on https://www.projectalpha.com.my/ or catch it on your television (yes!) on Astro channel 705, Hitz.TV :)

Dinner at Damansara Village @Imbi with Patrick Teoh

I had a fabulous time last weekend at the new Damansara Village branch in Imbi, Kuala Lumpur thanks to Suanie and Patrick Teoh. The company was great, the food was even better!

Damansara Village @Imbi.

At first we were quite worried about the availability of parking space being it’s in KL and all. But to our delight, there’s a massive open space carpark right in front of Damansara Village which charged only RM3 per car.

Damansara Village @Imbi is quite a large premise with both indoor and al-fresco dining. It’s spacious and comfortable and you definitely won’t feel like canned sardines there.

Spacious air-conditioned indoor dining area.

First up on the menu…the steamed organic village chicken or “cho kai”. According to Patrick, the chickens used were free-range for a grand period of 90 days instead of the usual 30 days that you get from supermarkets. The extra exercise gives the chicken a special “chewy in a good way” texture which I have to admit…was very, very nice. In other words, the chicken was firm but still very juicy. Hmmm.

Steamed “cho kai”.

Next up, the scrumptious bamboo clams. Steamed with chilies and fermented beans, there were a couple more ingredients that I couldn’t put my finger on. Who really cares what goes into the making though…what’s important was that the clams were juicy, flavourful and not overcooked .

Steamed bamboo clams.

Patrick probably got wind that some of us (ie: KY, ST, Suanie and myself) are from #porkgang because the following dish served was the most awesomesauce pork trotter braised with chinese black vinegar, possibly one of my most favourite dishes in the world, even more so than bak kut teh.

I just couldn’t stop eating this to be honest. You could tell that good quality vinegar was used for the dish because it didn’t taste of that biting sourness that comes with cheap, ordinary chinese black vinegar. I don’t know why I didn’t ask for rice because that would have made the dish perfect.

Braised pork trotter with chinese black vinegar – multiple thumbs up!

And then after the rich tasting pork trotter, it’s as though Patrick could read our minds…he gave us spicy pepper soup with pork guts. I was in heaven! The guts were plenty and the soup was spicy, just the way I love it. Was sweating like a pig at this point but it didn’t bother me, not one bit.

Spicy pepper soup with pig innards.

After all the pork dishes, it’s time for some fish. Ladies & gentlemen, let me present you…Steamed Wild Haruan. Specially caught by Orang Asli from the river, the fish really lived up to its reputation. Although a simple dish, the taste was brilliant. Nothing is more satisfying than a perfectly steamed fish – not overcooked or undercooked and no strong ingredients that overpowered the taste of the flaky flesh.

Steamed wild haruan – unforgettable.

The salt baked crabs came next. Well, the crabs were a little smaller but were fresh through and through. I was so glad it’s salt baked and not cooked in some overpowering gravy like marmite or chilli because the only right way to eat crabs is to have them baked or grilled with a bit of salt :)

Salt baked crabs.

Meticulously peeling a crab claw!

Trying very hard not to jump up and down in happiness :D

Crabs were followed by a very special dish – Village steamed duck! Have you ever tasted steamed ducks before? They’re always roasted or braised but never steamed right? It is a must try!

Village steamed duck.

Last but not least, we were served clams steamed in wine. It was indeed a very nice finish with all the rich food we had been savouring before. The clams were juicy, not the least chewy and the soup, infused with the sweet taste of the clams and a generous amount of chinese rice wine was absolutely delicious.

Steamed clams with wine.

Well, we were a little full by now and thought that the night was about to end when we were surprised by MORE food!

First, a curious plate of chinese herbs and a miniature wine pitcher were served. And then came a couple of plates of uncooked seafood and other delicious morsels.

Am bad with naming chinese herbs, can only identify boxthorn fruits and scallions.

Clockwise from left – Mussels & absolutely delicious real tasting vegetarian abalones. Noodles & eggs. Fish noodles, fishballs, tofus, wontons and assortment of goodies.

Then a steamboat pot was placed in the middle of the table. Of course! How can we leave Damansara Village without tasting its signature steamboats?

The herbs and wine were poured into the soup.

Patrick dunking in the fresh and ginormous prawns.

Baby let it boil. Spot the crab claw peeking out?

Needless to say, at this point we were salivating all over again…

Have to take picture while taking food otherwise will not be any food left, hahaha.

What can I say, the steamboat was top notch too. It was so good I was determined to drink up all the soup, which I kinda did :P

Going only for RM18.80 per pax, it’s definitely a great deal considering the ingredients are always fresh. With an additional of RM12 you can get the herbal base soup, just like what we had.

Before I end this supremely long post, please take a look at this:

This is a car.

And it’s edible!!!! Mrs. Teoh cutting the car up.

Made by Min, Patrick’s very talented other half. It’s not all about looks….the car, sorry I mean the cake was moist and delicious too! Check out her masterpieces at this website.

Thanks for a great night of delicious food and great company, Patrick :)

If you’re still unconvinced, watch out for more posts on Damansara Village @Imbi by KY, Shaolin Tiger, Suanie, Ciki, Bangsar-babe, Meena, Fireangel, Yiling and Reta :)

Damansara Village @ Imbi
32 & 34, Jalan Utara,
Off Jalan Imbi,
55100 KL.
Tel: 03-2141 1678
Operating hours: 5.30pm-3.00am (daily)
https://damansaravillage.blogspot.com/

Cream tea.

Cream tea with the most divine clotted cream and jam in Dunster, a quaint little village in UK. Circa 2008.

I long to have another bite of those scones above. Wish I could get the same stuff without having to fly 11 hours -_- Sigh, it’s just not good enough when it’s not served with clotted cream.

Seriously, it’s quite frustrating that despite being overpriced, the cream tea/tea & scones you find in beautiful Cameron Highlands are served with white, artificial tasting cream and nasty runny jam.

Doesn’t taste as good as it looks :(

The view is great, tea is good and scones are decent….but the deciding factors; cream and jam always, always fall below expectations.

Fantastic view. Don’t mind the foreground :P

So I googled a bit for cream tea with real clotted cream and stumbled upon this list. Yay! But something still sticks out sorely, why are they all so expensive???

I gotta make my own clotted cream soon. Times like this I wish my kitchen is already done.

According to this website,

“You need full cream milk, fresh from the cow. Pour it into a shallow pan, and leave it to stand for about 12 hours for the cream to rise to the surface. Now heat the milk very slowly, until the surface begins to wrinkle: on no account allow the milk to boil- the more slowly the heating is done, the better the result. About one hours gentle heating is what is required. Transfer the pan to a cool place and leave overnight. In the morning the clotted cream can be spooned off the surface.”

Now on where to get creamy, unpasteurised milk….