Chuang Kee Ku Gua Tang, Taman Merdeka Permai, Bitter Gourd Soup

Opening times

Bitter gourd soup

A frequent spot to have lunch especially on a nice windy day. Bitter gourd soup , bitter yet nutritious. Ordered pork with bitter gourd soup ,omelette and 2 rice . Cost about RM20.90. Plenty of meat in the soup and a hint of bitterness only. Yummy. Its situated near the Bridgestone tayar shop near the traffic light. Its on the left side if you are coming from Malim. It has a bright purple signboard with a cute bitter gourd cartoon.

My Verdict : Nice to have comfort food lunch . Plenty of meat in the soup for 2. Definitely would frequent this place for lunch. Check the opening hours in the picture above.

Wedding- Make Up Artist

   I had a few make up artist in mind and I have survey earlier about 12 months ahead of the wedding. Nowadays people tend to book their make up artist quite early...

My first few choices were:-

1)Suki Ng : http://www.suki-makeup.com/ .

   Package 01: WEDDING ( within a day ) Price: RM900

-2 Makeup Sessions & 2 Hair Styling Sessions -Eyelashes, Ampoule/ Moisture serum -Basic hair accessories ( must be return within 7 days )

This was her quoatation .Contactable via facebook. Prompt reply. I was a bit too late... Didn't manage to book her.

2) Yen Make Up :  Eye Do Make Up Studio .contactable at : 012 2151152. AD 2 session cost about 1.2k

3) Aivy Yong : Provides air brush make up. Was not available for my date.

4) Carmen Meng : She is from the weddingisle. Senior make up artist. AD 2 session cost from RM900. At the end I have engaged her. She answers promptly via email as well.

5) Chris Fong : Cost about Rm900 for AD make up. No trial make up. Contactable via facebook. 

https://www.facebook.com/chrisfongyintheng?fref=ts&ref=br_tf


Below are my AD make up by Carmen Meng from the weddingisle . Very natural. Hubby love the low bun for my hair.

Other artists are quite good as well. You can see their portfolio on FB.

https://www.facebook.com/weddingislegallery

AD morning make up

AD- wedding reception

My reception hairstyle i requested for side sweep. She suggested another bun cos of cheongsam but I preferred side sweep. She used the roses pinkish purple colour theme and pin on my hair.

Prewedding shoot locations

Dusun Fairies,Ulu Langat

After setting the date for the prewedding shoot we started doing research on location to shoot and also props we would like to bring along for our shoot.

Due to time limitation we finally settle for Dusun Fairies in Ulu Langat for half day session from 9-1pm which cost RM 300. We were considering between this and Sekeping Tengiri in Bangsar. On that day , it was raining and I was early to have my make up done on site. Above are the few selected pictures. Not bad for a shoot location.Scenic.

After 1pm with a bit of traffic jam we were on to our second location. Poco in Bangsar.It is a small cozy cafe. For exchange to shoot there we payed RM5x excluding buying lunch. We only can start shooting at around 3pm when there is less customers. Parking is a hassle in this area. We were considering Wondermilk and after asking their manager, their price was exorbitant for our pockets and for mere 2 hours.

Poco,Bangsar

Next shot was at UPM, initially we were told to pay RM50 for the pak guard to keep the gate open in the evening but at the end we had to pay Rm150 because there were functions going on. So had to get some official papers. So from 5pm till about 7pm we were shooting here. By now we were exhausted and who would have thought prewedding shoots are fun! By now we were forcing ourselves to SMILE!

We bought props like alphabet, heart shape blocks and glasses from TYPO pavillion. We also bought chalkboards from Kaizon (Festival City Mall) for a very cheap price like 10 bucks per piece or less. Balloons were Rm5-6 bucks per balloon we had 15 . We bought this from One Utama. Had the extra long thing spray so that the balloon can last longer.

Make up and gowns are from Valerie Fan in SS2,PJ. For brides out there, on the prewed shoot bring some snacks,water and mosquito repellents. You can choose to wear neu bra earlier if there is no changing place. Button up shirt and strapless bra is helpful to change quickly. Shorts and short skirts too. Bring slippers and wet wipes.Sometimes the costume jewellery the bridal gallery provide is not up to your taste , hence bring some spare. Especially if you have casual shots.I forgot to bring :s

When we choose the shooting location, we were ready to top up some money. If you would like free locations then consider putrajaya, lake gardens ,public places and etc... Others usually requires you to spend a bit more. Of course if you are shooting outside KL...then the charges increases :)

Plan ahead, if out of KL or overseas location the be ready to 'pau' the photographer and make up artist for food & accomodation. We were actually thinking of Cameron Highlands... but abandon after thinking about weather predictability, distance, extra day,extra cost!

UPM

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HOPE THIS HELPS!

Old newton food court

pork satay and intestine

ikan bakar

pari bakar assam style

Have u been to melaka? Have you been to Old Newton Food Court at Jalan Parameswara. I used to live next to this food court. This food court have always been busy and cause of traffic jam on this road.

My favourite food here would be satay and the ikan bakar. Usually we have to wait for 30 minutes for ikan bakar on the weekends. This food court is open almost everyday and in the evening till late at night! So if you are in melaka and have a craving for pork satay at night , you could get some here!

Don't miss the ikan bakar! Yums sauce!

Verdict: 7/10
Location: Near to central ,ample parking at the back
Value for money: alittle bit expensive 70 cent per piece satay and ikan bakar for 2 cause about 16 including rice n salted egg for 2.

wedding vendors- Videographer

Well preparation of  your own wedding can really well turn you into a bridezilla or groomzilla... :P . We had our wedding planned out about 1.2 years ahead . Right after our ROM last year in October. We were quite chill till the last few months right before the wedding.

We were deciding whether was it worth to engage a videographer since we have photographers. After surveying the market price ranging from 5k to 2k... depending on the vendor and type of video they produced. Some call themselves cinematographer... in that way their charges escalates! 

At the end of nip picking and budget constraints. I finally engaged HVP productions. Good quality and service for an affordable price. At the time I engaged his services was 2k for morning and evening reception. This company does photography too. Their clients are mostly malay but thye did a great job for my wedding. I had 2 team videographer on my actual day. One team goes to his side and another to mine... Then they were with us until the morning ceremony is over and till the evening reception is done. Always informative and confirming stuffs. They also do the same day video highlight for additional 400 ringgit. I didn't subscribe to that as we already have the photo highlights.

HVP productions:

https://www.facebook.com/hvpproduction

Under the big tree, Bukit Beruang

Literally this shack is operated under the big tree at bukit beruang after the petronas turning in a big field. Used to be more shabby and was operated by 2 ladies and an uncle. Nowadays they went for a facelift and added more men power. This place is a local favourite and MMU students favourite. What do they serve???

Handmade wantan mee and spinach mee! It's yummy! They have other dishes to add on too such as fried wonton and also dumplings. It is nice and breezy to have lunch there but beware sometimes they randomly close!

My verdict:
worth a try. value for money. Sometimes they overcook the mee if they are very busy :)

My lunch: Herbal mee soup

Add on: Dumplings- the fillings-pork and century egg

Their menu...

Christmas Eve Dinner at Holiday Inn Melaka

Sorry for the long hiatus, this have been a busy year for me... just got hitched in December and finally after all the preparation and adrenaline rush IT IS NOW DONE! *relief*

So hubby and I *ahem* we celebrated Christmas with the usual Christmas buffet. This time we change the venue to holiday Inn cause every year we have been going to Equatorial Hotel.

At Holiday Inn buffet was priced at 68++ with complimentary glass of wine. Be sure to make your reservations early. We didn't make any cause was a last minute decision and we went there at 6.30pm (kiasu)

They offer a range of menu from local delicacies, roast turkey,pastas, bbq and whole loads of desserts from chocolate fondue ,cakes and Christmas logs.

The appetizer section

Roast turkey and roast beef

The Dessert Bar

I think here is more value for money compared to equatorial but hubby says food selection here is better than EQ but taste wise EQ wins...

Till Next Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Tabletalk, TTDI

This restaurant/cafe have a very nice ambiance for a chic and cozy dining experience. Simplistic decor with a lot of natural lighting from the windows. We were there for breakfast after reading countless blog recommending this place. Finding a parking is a bit of a task if you were to dine here. We parked along the main road on the yellow line .

I ordered the ultimate brekkie at Rm 18 and my other half had pancakes with honey. If its before 11 it comes with free fresh juices. My verdict : I prefer the big breakfast at Tom,Dick and Harry. Although the baked beans has a very unique taste, delicious to me. The pancakes was slightly under cooked, you can still taste the raw flour.

Will I come here again ? I think i prefer convenience of parking and bigger better breakfast :D

Verdict : 5/10 ( not value for taste and money)

Address: No. 4, Jalan Datuk Sulaiman, Taman Tun Dr. Ismail,
                60000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Telephone: +603 7733 7718

Opening Hours: 0730 - 0000 Daily

Restaurant Indah Sayang, Nyonya, Melaka Raya

 Curry Kapitan

 My favs- Udang Nenas masak Lemak

 Otak -otak

Paku sambal belacan

One of the staples - cincalok omelette

This restaurant is located on the main road towards dataran in melaka raya just beside watson on the right side of the road.

I love this place cause it serves yummylicious udang masak lemak and authentic nyonya otak-otak (Rm2.80 per piece)  Food here is good and i think quite resonable in price.. For 5 people we paid like 130 bucks. Prawns were fresh , curry was just ok... cincalok omelette was balance not too salt...

Service is a bit slow cause its a family run restaurant. U might miss the shop... doesn't have a bright signboard.If you are local go during weekdays.I  can imagine the crowd on weekends. If you cant find parking... turn right jsut before watson and park in the back lane.

My verdict:8/10 (home cooked nyonya food packed with flavours! 

(my other half went back with his bro again after 1 week of awesomeness...even my parents tapao the otak-otak all the way back to kl)

Charcoal burger at My Burger Lab ,Seapark

 On a rainy Saturday night after 8pm , my brother and i decided to brave the rain and travel to Seapark for yummylicious burger. We thought the crowd would be chill down by factor of rain and timing... Ooppps ...well we were wrong! Queue to the counter was about 15 mins. It was as busy as usual. Wait for the food was about 30 minutes even with rapid turnover of the crowd. Service was quick!

  Burger verdict : Yummz... i love the burger bun and the patty was just right... The fries was a tad too salty but otherwise tasteful! I would definetely go back but minus the queue...(*I hate waiting*)

Feel free to drop by their facebook page for more updates!

http://www.facebook.com/myBurgerLab?fref=ts

Korean restaurant Taman Melaka Perdana,Bukit Katil

I went to this Korean restaurant in Taman melaka Perdana near to ozana at Bukit Katil to satisfy my bbq cravings! Had 2 assortment of bbq, kimchi soup and a bimbibap for 3 for a total of Rm100.No charge on service tax. This restaurant is on the left if you are coming from Ayer Keroh and on your right if your coming from Ozana.

Food wise not too bad, love their kimchi soup cause they added the salted vegetable! Will go there again... Not to busy atmosphere but the service maybe a bit slow if there is a crowd.

Isen Japanese Restaurant,Taman Merdeka Permai

Sorry for the lack of updates, firstly my samsung s2 camera has failed me  and im also busy getting ready to be a bride! :D

Recent venture last month was to this Japanese restaurant in Taman Merdeka Permai for lunch. My most recent was was in taman kota laksamana syahbandar (that was awesome jap food,can give wa zen a run for its money)

 Their menu, they are situated same row as wasabi

 Grilled eel with avacado

 Chicken teppanyaki

 Soft shell crab handroll

This was salmon with chili padi

Food and service wise i will give it a 5/10. They have different options and varieties compare to Wasabi. But then again...i'm not likely to return again . But feel free to try out another option away from town. Thier sushis are comparable to wasabi's.

Hin Thor Chinese Restaurant Panchor, Johor

Went all the way to this small fishing village to eat deep fried river prawns. This little town is on the way to Pagoh from Muar about 33km if you follow the Jln Muar towards Pagoh. From the North South Highway,  you exit at Pagoh , driving to the direction to Muar. You will see the signboards leading to this sleepy hollow town.Signal to turn right when you see a large chinese temple. This whole village is situated along the river of Muar.

Their signature dishes...

 River Prawns... fresh ,succulent and yummy!

 Sotong kangkung lace with generous helping of satay sauce

 Steam otak otak with egg

Steam bawal fish with soya and cili padi (freshhh)

Dinner for 5 cost us RM117. Not bad...

GPS coordinates : N02°10.358' E102°42.761'

My Verdict: 7/10 (nice enough for a short food trip! im still thinking about the prawns and the otak *salivating*)

Kesington restaurant, Kota Laksamana

This restaurant was newly open last year which has now has increased number of patrons through the week competing against wok and pan for the western food market in Melaka. My first visit there was suprisingly pleasant, manager was attentive and service was quick. Food had presentation then.

As the newcomer became more establish you would have noticed improvement in service and so, but not so for this restaurant. Waiters are overworked with only 3 or 4 servicing the whole restaurant which has 3 different areas. My last visit there was horrible. I didn't even have my dinner by 9.30pm.

I was there with my bf and my sister on a weekend for dinner. We arrived there around 7.30pm. Place our orders- mushroom soup,mussels,seafood pasta,lamb rack and chicken veronique. Drinks was serve after numerous reminders after the starters... Mushroom soup arrive first- too salty. Then next mussels- becoming worst..., then my bf's mains arrived lamb rack- he said was OK. Tick tock tick tock... after my bf has finished his plate of dinner then my sister's pasta arrived- creamy but too sweet. Then the waiting game began, I reminded the waiter about 4 times- yes! on the way... yes 5 more minutes. The next table was fed up with the service too, mains were serve to only 1 guest. Then I had observed that, other tables were served before mine! By 9.30 pm i still didn't have my dinner yet! My sister was almost done with hers, and I had enough of waiting... I went to the opposite hawker stall and bought my dinner. Asked my bf to cancel the order and pay the bill. The bill was ask around 10 minutes previously and the BF got fed up and went to pay at the counter. 

The food in this establishment is not bad but the service deserves a ZERO. A failing establishment is the one that leaves the customer in hunger and anger. I would never come here again.

my verdict: 2/10 (2 for previous better experience) my 2 cents if the restaurant cant cope with the number of customers then do not put out extra tables!

Location: Kesington restaurant, taman kota laksaman near bei zhan ...very obvious from the main road.

 mussels 2 flavour

 seafood pasta

ice blended lychee