Hidden Gem Cheong Loi At Old Town, Ipoh

LAST MINUTE LUNCH GET TOGETHER ON A FRIDAY....

The only time we could get together for lunch is on Friday, two and a half lunch hour break is sufficient for us to relax and sit back to enjoy.  It has been some time since my ex-colleagues and I met up, once awhile we just have to "update" each other whatever.  This time someone suggested going to the oldest place in old town called Cheong Loi aka "The Future" literally in Cantonese.

This stall has been in old town hidden away from the bustling crowd and tourists.  It is behind a four storey flats, one way street, narrow road and limited parking.  No problem for us because my friends know where the secret roads to parking are.  LOL.... If not for my friends who took me there last time, I did not know this gem is so hidden.  If not mistaken, this is only the 3rd time I have been there....

This is the hidden gem... manned by a few seniors... 

One has to bear with the heat and the wait especially during lunch time... 

For us, that is not a problem...

As long as there is good food and company!

While waiting for the food and drinks... the six of us.... 

First dish to come out is the salted vegetables soup... 

A very big bowl, each of us had two bowls of this soup...

Bitter gourd with chicken is their signature dish... 

This one too.. Black Pomfret 

Braised yam with pork....

Fresh clams cooked with black beans... 

One of us saw the braised beancurd... couldn't resist not ordering... 

Seven dishes for the 6 of us... including soup and the fish which were finished up fast... 

For these 7 dishes, the bill came to RM100 exactly...

Each of us made a guess, the one who guessed correctly can get RM2 discount... 

Indeed my friend's guess was exactly the amount... LOL... 

I was way off... RM120!!

Calling myself a food blogger... LOL... 

While walking back to our parking, we picked up a couple of things from a stall selling

all kinds of everything from slippers, sandals to towels...

Yes, I bought sandals and towels...

A very productive lunch indeed!

5 Minutes Microwave Butter Cake

FOR THOSE WHO KNOW ME BY NOW.. I am into easy cooking and baking. Anything that is simple, easy-to-follow and yet taste goody-good, I am IN!

I get most of my easy-cooking information from scrolling Facebook each day, those that I like, I will bookmark the link into my "gmail draft" so that wherever I go, I have the recipes with me!  And when my baking mode is on, I will look for a nice and simple recipe, so simple that it only takes 5 minutes as written in the recipe.... okay, truthfully... for me, it is  10 minutes to prepare since I am an amateur! 

Yes, according to the recipe, fast and simple preparation, no need to take out electrical whisking appliances, no need to preheat oven... just a microwave oven will do and baking time is only 10 minutes the most, depending on the type of microwave we have.

Ok, first things first...  The Recipe is taken from Kenneth Goh from this group Food Bloggers and Foodie United.  It is called 5 Minutes Microwave Butter Cake.

Ingredients:
150 grams melted butter
150 grams of self raising flour
150 grams of white sugar  (I used brown cane sugar)
3 eggs

• Heavily grease the microwavable container with melted butter
• In a bowl, sift the self raising flour and sugar, stir till well mixed.  Make a well in the centre.
• In another bowl, crack the eggs and mix with the melted butter.
• Stir until well combined.
• Slowly pour the butter egg solution to the flour.
• Use a tablespoon to mix it until well combined.
• Transfer the batter to the greased container.
• Start with 3 minutes on the microwave and increase by the timing minute by minute.  (My oven took 8 minutes in total)
• Once out from microwave oven, unmould and let it cool completely before cutting.  (I cut mine almost immediately!)

150 grams self raising floor and 150 grams sugar in one bowl

150 grams melted butter and 3 eggs in another

Mixing both together...

Smooth batter ready....

My small microwave... I put it Medium heat... and started with 5 minutes

And increase it minute by minute till it is cooked...

I used a sharp toothpick to test it.... 

This is it!

My first time trying out this recipe...

That is how it looks upside down... 

Comes out easily from my glass bowl...

Looks cute eh... 

Cannot wait till it is cooled... I cut into half... 

And ate them when they were still warm.... 

Conclusion:  It is like Steamed Butter Rich Cake.... 

Next time I would reduce the sugar, it is a bit too sweet for me....

Instead of 150gm, I will put 100gm instead... 

(Will try again the next time)

Other than that, this recipe is worth bookmarking...

Just in case, unexpected guests coming by...

Or feeling hungry and craving for cakes....

And we can have this served within half hour the most!

Hakka Noodles At MXII and Traditional Homemade Cake, Ipoh

BREAKFAST IS OUR FAVOURITE MEAL OF THE DAY... this is the time when we can eat to our heart's content especially in the early morning or brunch, should I say...  Each morning both of us will ask each other, "What to eat?  Where to go?"  And for this particular morning we wanted Hakka noodles in town.  The place is called MXII at Osborne Street, Ipoh... they serve Hakka noodles during the day and one of the best Wantan Koayteow at night.  Usual wait will be 15 minutes or more depending on the time and the season.

For this morning we waited the usual 15 minutes or so for our Hakka noodles to be served....

The presentation of the Hakka noodles here... 

Fat crunchy bean sprouts from Ipoh looks like that... 

I like the texture of this noodles, softer and springier... compared to others... 

I must have picked 10 of these mixed pork fish balls....

My girl took these.... 

And as usual, I could not remember how much it cost... RM14? RM12?  

Really no idea...

Anyway, after our brunch, we went to look for the traditional 

Homemade Egg Sponge Cake...

Heard there is one shop open in town.... 

Yeah, we found it! 

Ah Mah's taste of happiness, it says... 

It is along Clare street aka Mustapha Al'Bakri now... 

That is the shop... 

One man show.... 

We bought one original flavour to try...

Big like this for RM13... 

As soft as the one in Gurney Plaza, Penang...

Only that it is not as sweet and the egg fragrant is not as strong.... 

Since it is not so sweet, I ended up taking a few pieces in one day!

LOL...

Confinement Dishes At O'Cafe, Canning Garden, Ipoh

ONE OF MY EX-TREASURY COLLEAGUE WAS BAPTIZED RECENTLY.... When she told me that she was going to be baptized last Saturday, I was very surprised and of course, very Happy!

We know each other since 1990... we worked together in the same department and have been friends since.  Then  14 years later, both of us were transferred to two different government departments, I went to JKR and she in Land office.  But that did not deter us from keeping in touch every now and then... and as I said just recently, she was Baptized and now she is my sister-in-Christ!

This definitely calls for a Thanksgiving dinner... LOL... We did not decide on the place till she arrived... We were still thinking of where to go and when I mentioned confinement food at Canning Garden, she jumped to the suggestion with joy.  She simply loves those type of Chinese confinement dishes even we were past our giving birth period!  LOL....

We called up another ex-Treasury colleague of ours and three of us had a good time catching up and chatting till the shop owner came to "inform" us that it was time to close for the day... that was 8.30pm... And we continued our conversation back in my place till a couple of hours later... LOL.. Ladies, ladies... non-stop chatting!

As for the dishes... we ordered 4 for just the 3 of us....

Free range chicken in sweet chinese wine... RM12.90

Trotters in Black vinegar.. RM12.90

Yes, another confinement dish we love though it is a bit sweet here... 

Sambal Petai aka stinky beans which is to detox our kidneys.. ?

But that night the sauce was a bit over-sour... 

And steamed beancurd with minced meat.... 

Brown rice is served instead of white... 

Yes, our four dishes for the three big eaters such as US.. 

That was why we ate till they wanted to "close shop" for the night... 

The bill came to around RM70... 

I think enough confinement dishes to last for a couple of months.... 

Vietnamese Dinner At Vnam Kitchen, Ipoh

THE HEAVY THUNDERSTORM STOPPED IN TIME... It was almost 6pm when the rain gave way for us to go out for dinner.   No cooking for that evening, we have eaten all the "rice" in the bucket and I had not replenished it as yet then.  We did not have any idea on what to eat, we drove to Ipoh Garden East and looked for vegetarian food but it was not opened.  Went to another shop but the food did not look "attractive."

So frustrated... and I thought Ipoh has a lot of good food?  Yes, it certainly does have lots of nice and yummy food, so most probably the reason is that both of us are fussy eaters!  What I want might not be what she likes... I am a meaty person and she is a vegetable girl... what contrast!

Anyway, after some driving here and there, we ended up eating not local food but Vietnamese food for our dinner.  Both of us readily agreed when we happened to pass by this Vnam Kitchen at Jalan Seenivasagam, opposite Overseas Restaurant.  This is the second time I visited this Vietnamese restaurant.

We were the second customers there upon entering... 

We shared a glass of Dragonfruit juice.. RM8.90

Then the condiments arrived... 

Sweet and sour noodles soup for my girl... RM12.90

Eggs and meat inside the soup.... 

I have the Pho for myself... 

Goes well with the basil leaves and lots of lime... 

My order came with grilled chicken and pork... RM13.90

For our side dish, we have these paper rice wraps... 

No meat inside... 

Dip it generously into the plate of sauce... 

And it would taste a lot better... 

For our dinner, the bill came to RM45... 

Cannot afford to eat like this all the time...

Reanaclaire's Kitchen must be reopened before I go broke!

Apple Fox Cider Is In Town!

APPLE FOX CIDER IN MALAYSIA?  

Like many of you who is reading this now, this is also my first time I heard of Apple Fox.  So.. WhatTheFox is this?  

Apple Fox is a newly launched Apple Cider in Malaysia, inspired all the way from New Zealand!  This New Zealand inspired cider is giving us Malaysians some good taste of  only good, fresh orchard apples and tickling our senses with a crisp refreshing taste.

Going into more details to the heart of natural freshness (the orchard), Apple Fox Cider captures the essence of purity from where the freshest apples are grown.  Just like a fox hunting in the orchard, this alcoholic cider will steal the hearts of those who are seeking a brand that stands for straight-up, instant refreshment with a contemporary and bold edge.

Inspired by New Zealand cider makers, Apple Fox uses the best-kept secrets of cider making in creating a distinct, refreshing smooth drinking experience served over ice.  As for the contents, Apple Fox Cider contains 4.5% ABV and at the same time, it delivers an instant refreshing taste just from a sip.  The taste of the freshest apples sourced from orchards are picked to make the cider so as to ensure a natural crisp texture and at the same time, an intense flavour that makes the best tasting cider.

The meticulous process of creating Apple Fox Cider adds to the superior taste of the product. The selection of a perfect mix of crisp and tart apples is the first step in ensuring the unique brand flavour before the milling and pressing process that releases the natural apple juice, which is the basis for the fresh apple taste. On to the fermentation, blending and filtration processes in producing cider that consistently delivers refreshing apple taste.

“Globally a growing number of consumers are discovering the appeal of cider, and we strive to present the best ciders that fulfills this demand. Apple Fox complements our cider portfolio, offering the best secrets of cider making at attractive pricing for everyone to enjoy,” said Loh Ee Lin, Marketing Manager of Heineken Malaysia Berhad.

And now the Good News!

Apple Fox Cider will be available from August 2017 in hypermarkets, supermarkets and convenience stores.  Not only that, these 320ml cans and 325ml bottles of Apple Fox Cider are also available in bars, pubs and restaurants.  The good news is that there is a special introductory price from RM5.80 per can and it will be offered for a limited time to celebrate the launching of Apple Fox Cider in Malaysia!

Apple Fox Cider is now the new and IN refreshing drink in town!  For more details and updates, do follow Apple Fox Facebook Page, Apple Fox Instagram Page or visit their official website.  Don’t forget to #WhatTheFox and #AppleFoxCider while enjoying a Fox with your friends!

Texas Chicken In 1st Avenue Mall, Penang

TEXAS CHICKEN HAS COME TO PENANG...  When we were at 1st Avenue Mall, we saw a queue, most of the tables inside and outside the outlet was full.  I am not really a fan of Fried Chicken but out of curiosity, we joined in the queue.  One of us queued up to order while I went to look for a place to sit.

Service was quite fast even though there was a queue... 

Our combo set of 2 pieces of chicken that comes with a honey butter biscuit..

Freshly baked Honey Butter Biscuit....

Too butter-rich for me... LOL...

This fried chicken reminded me of the old KFC days where the chicken were very well marinated

and not so bland as the present ones.... 

Overall review?  Yes, I like them!

Perhaps they should consider opening a branch in IPOH? 

The set also came with a small tub of coleslaw and a soft drink which is refillable.... 

And of course, there must be a dessert to make the meal complete... 

By the way, this combo set is shared by the two of us...

I really could not finish all by myself..

I need to save some space for more Penang food!