Thaipusam: A Walk Among Gods

Selva, a devotee, in a coma as Lord Kali, a extreme Hindu goddess

Indians a universe over have a gesticulate that, as distant as we know, is singular to them. It is a laterally lift of a chin, customarily achieved in unanimity with a play of a eyes – a long, soft blink – and an roughly inaudible lean of a shoulders. Depending on context, it can be a yes, it can be a no, it can vigilance deference, it can vigilance a preference made. But regardless of context, a receiver always understands a message.

It is with this really gesticulate that Selva snapped out of his coma as Lord Kali, a extreme Hindu goddess. We are on a banks of a Batu River, that flows within eyesight of a famous Batu Caves, and it is a day before Thaipusam. During Thaipusam, Hindu devotees will commence a eventuality from a Batu River to Batu Caves, while behaving acts of penance such as carrying a earthy weight (called a “Kavadi”), or trenchant themselves with hooks or skewers. Devotees mostly enter into trances to perform these feats of endurance, job on one of Hinduism’s 33 million deities to possess them by perplexing rituals upheld down by a generations.

Ash is sprinkled over Selva’s head, as he enters into a trance

Initiating a trance

I am examination Selva perform one such ritual. First he cleanses himself. Traditionally, devotees take a drop in a river, yet record has now authorised for a open showering complement to be commissioned on a riverbank. Then, an elaborate ceremony, conducted with a assistance of his entourage, follows, involving incense, fruits, Kumkum powder and holy ash.

Try as we may, we can’t keep adult with or know a obstruction of rites. Small braziers are lit, and some of a equipment hold over a smoke. Milk is poured into dual china jars and cumulative to Selva’s Kavadi. Next to me, one of a women breaks into coma with a shriek. Another lady shortly follows suit. Amidst all this, Selva bows and touches a feet of his mother, a ultimate gesticulate of honour in Hinduism.

One of a members of Selva’s environment seems to perform a purpose of a priest, giving directions to a group. It is he who calls a coma on Selva. Selva stands before him, palms pulpy together, as he chants quietly. Ash is sprinkled over Selva’s head, and his physique starts to moving into a bow. we watch his eyes spin wild. With a scream, Selva drops to his knees, tongue out-stuck. He is Kali.

Next, a piercing. Selva’s penance this year involves trenchant his tongue. As Selva – or Lord Kali – stands, arms akimbo, staring during a mob that has shaped around him, an burdensome volume of rites is achieved over a prolonged china skewer that will be used. Meanwhile, he asks for a orange and chews on it. When a skewer is ready, he offers his tongue, that a clergyman dabs with Kumkum powder and ash, before slowly, laboriously, flitting a skewer by it. He doesn’t flinch. With a skewer secured, a clergyman binds Selva’s conduct in his hands, chants some prayers, and suddenly, as if roused from low thought, Selva’s physique relaxes. Without even looking up, he rises his chin sideways, and everybody in a organisation understands that a coma is over.

Now for a tiny matter of carrying a Kavadi all a approach to a church in Batu Caves. Like many other devotees, Selva will perform his eventuality currently – a day progressing – to equivocate a large crowds on a day proper. “It’s OK to do it a eve before,” explains Selva when we spoke to him earlier. “It is still within a portentous generation of time, when a Pusam star is during a tip indicate and it emanates certain energy.”

Selva starts his tour towards a cavern with a weight of his Kavadi on his shoulders

Positive energy

Energy would be a word to report Batu Caves that afternoon. The caves are a informed steer in Kuala Lumpur, a bone-white limestone cliffs surfaced with sprouting immature jungle mostly intruding into a city’s petrify skyline. When it does, it customarily provides visible relief, an oasis of ease amid civic bustle. But today, Batu Caves is buzzing with energy. Inside a park area around a caves, stalls line any walkway, offering eremite trinkets, clothes, cold drinks, vegetarian food, normal Indian candy and even furniture. The atmosphere is thick with a smell of spices and cooking oil, and vibrates with song blared from loudspeakers that have prolonged given detonate their diaphragms. Indians adore their song driving, pulsating, full-blooded. People are everywhere, jostling with you, job out to you, smiling during your camera, and when we appreciate them, lifting their chin laterally in return. Everyone and all is conspiring to kick behind a energy-sapping Malaysian afternoon heat.

As we travel closer to a caves, a tarpaulin tents of stalls partial to exhibit a famous 150 foot-tall golden statue of Lord Murugan. And subsequent to it, a 272 red-and-white stairs that takes visitors from belligerent spin adult to a mouth of a categorical cavern complex, within that resides a many visited Hindu church in a country. Closer to a feet of a caves, several organisations and associations have erected tents to offer giveaway vegetarian food to a expected 1.5 million visitors. At a behind of a tents, outrageous vats are cooking collection after collection of rice, that when piled into mounds on a list lonesome in banana leaves, resembles a tiny of a Swiss Alps.

The stage during Batu Caves during a day

In this gratifying atmosphere, Selva carries his Kavadi towards a cave. Kavadis operation in stretch and form, infrequently reaching adult to 7 feet above a bearer’s shoulders. But Selva has selected a medium chronicle imitative a carrying pole, flashy with Hindu motifs, and temperament a jar of divert during any end. He has walked some dual kilometres to arrive during a feet of a 272-step stairs that leads to a caves. All by a journey, by a song and a smell of food and a feverishness and a crowds, Selva confirmed stoic focus. Many devotees would enter into a coma for a whole generation of a procession, yet Selva is wakeful and clear-minded throughout. “That’s a approach we cite it,” he would explain later. “I wish to feel a weight on my shoulders.”

Joining a mob on their approach to a temple

Resonating with a masses

An hour and a half after a start of his pilgrimage, during a tip of a stairs, inside a temple, Selva completes his penance. His trenchant is removed. He passes a dual jars of divert to a priest, who pours it over a spear, before a tabernacle of Lord Murugan. we try to ask him how he feels. “I feel fine, no tiredness,” he says casually. “Usually if there is lassitude it will set in after a day or two, yet now we feel fine. Energised.”

The perspective from a cave

As we leave a temple, during a mouth of a cave, a perspective opens up. we see that a mob had distended significantly. Suddenly, we am wakeful of a bulk of a event. Below us, over a stairs streaming with people, a shape-shifting mob of devotees gravitates towards us, watched over by a golden Lord Murugan. Behind us, a gaping mouth of Batu Caves soars overhead. Surrounding it all was a eve sky, solemnly branch a colour of saffron.

At night, it’s a sea of of people, as a continue cools and some-more people start their pilgrimage

Thaipusam during night

At night, Thaipusam morphs into a opposite animal. The crowd, holding advantage of cooler weather, simply triples. The song continues unabated, yet a object is transposed by lights of all colours, casting changeable shadows in any direction. It is a busiest time of Thaipusam. we am with K. Anuharan, a advocate who flies behind from Australia any year for a procession. He is scheming to lift a 30 kg Kavadi to Batu Caves, yet we are stuck, literally, in a Kavadi jam.

Anuharan carries his Kavadi, goes into a coma and emerges as a Hindu deity Lord Hanuman

Stuck in Kavadi rush hour

Kavadis building over me from any direction. Large Kavadis, any accompanied by an environment of family and friends, and mostly by a normal drum unit as well. It is a vanquish of tellurian bodies, with not a moment’s silence, as a drum troupes take turns belting out rattling beats and devotees mangle out in chants of “Vel Vel Muruga”. We need to make it to a Batu River, where Anuharan can offer his prayers, lift his Kavadi, and trigger a trance. It is no some-more than a hundred metres away, yet we simply can’t get there. Anuharan is already dual hours late. He had designed to kick a night rise period, yet now finds himself pound in a center of it. In a impulse of calm, between organising his entourage, perplexing to navigate his Kavadi by a throng, and placating his immature daughter (who was worried since she was barefoot), he catches my eye. “Tension”, he says with a smile. Why? “Already dual hours late, and we had to make we wait.” we demur, he smiles. we am beholden adequate that he has authorised me to join his entourage.

It is motionless that it would be unfit to strech a riverbank. Anuharan will offer his prayers on a pavement where we stand. Items are brought out and placed on sheets of newspaper, braziers illuminated with camphor tablets. Amidst a noise, a jostling, a semi-darkness, we can hardly follow a protocol that takes place. Ash is dirty on his physique and his forehead. He prostrates himself before his elders. The divert jar is filled with milk, and fixed to a centre of a Kavadi. Somewhere, someone flips a switch, and Anuharan’s Kavadi flashes with multicolored lights. On a centrepiece of a Kavadi, a styrofoam peacock shimmers in a lights. Anuharan finds time to collect adult his daughter, and shows her a centrepiece. “See, all this we did for you.” Anuharan had swayed a Kavadi builder to supplement lights and a peacock to his Kavadi during a really final minute, even going to a border of purchasing a lights on his own, during a ask of his daughter. His daughter is placated.

It is time to lift his Kavadi. Bala, a Kavadi maker, helps mountain a Kavadi on his shoulders, adjusting a steel equipment to make certain that a weight is uniformly distributed opposite a shoulders. With a Kavadi strapped on, there is one final protocol before a approach starts – initiating a trance. The mob around senses something is happening, and spin to watch. Anuharan’s elders step brazen to magnify him. Anuharan asks for a drum unit to play louder. His environment starts chanting. His mom breaks into a coma and starts dancing before him. The chanting turns urgent. Anuharan takes it all in, palms pulpy together. His physique goes taut. He throws his conduct back, and with a good cry, he emerges as a Hindu deity Lord Hanuman, and immediately starts dancing.

Presenting himself before a tabernacle of Lord Murugan

A prolonged journey

Four hours later, Anuharan’s environment is still nonetheless to arrive during a stairs of Batu Caves. A true travel of a approach route would take an hour during most, yet it’s Kavadi rush hour. Moreover, Anuharan, hexed by a witty Lord Hanuman, insists on dancing his approach there. Anuharan would after tell me that he can’t dance to save his life.

As we nearby a caves, a vanquish of bodies becomes roughly suffocating. Ahead, a hulk statue of Lord Murugan rises into view. With many of a Kavadis during this hour illuminated adult like Christmas trees, we suppose a perspective from his vantage indicate would be utterly surreal – dancing boats of lights floating on a sea of tellurian bodies.

By a time we finally strech a summit, it is an hour past midnight. Below, a crowd, yet still huge, has begun to thin. Inside a temple, a Kavadi is dismounted, and Anuharan, as Lord Hanuman, presents himself before a tabernacle of Lord Murugan. It seemed like a dual deities common a moment. Then, Anuharan takes a splash of holy ash, presses it to his forehead, and, unexpected usually human, he collapses.

His family helps him to a shrine, where his charity of divert is poured out before a deity. As he lingers for a impulse longer, palms pulpy together opposite his front in prayer, his face contorts with emotion. His tour is over. Even examination him from a distance, we felt a release. This is a perfection not of a five-hour Kavadi pilgrimage, yet of a 48-day tour that started, with a derivation of his vows, in Australia. “Everything I’ve finished is out of friendship to Lord Murugan,” he would explain later. “It’s not only a divert that we offered, we wish to be a best that we can via a past 48 days. Hopefully that becomes a robe for a rest of a year, until a subsequent Thaipusam.”

Anuharan and his daughter, after completing his pilgrimage

All are welcome

As we leave a temple, we notice a organisation of Chinese Buddhists who had also only offering divert during a shrine. One of them even had a skewer by his cheeks and piercings on his back. It led me to remember a review with Selva previously: “Hinduism binds zero opposite other religions,” he said. “We trust God is one, and there are many ways for us to realize God.” Anuharan agrees. “Everyone has their possess tour to walk. we am brought adult a Hindu, so we travel in a Hindu trail to realize God, only as a Christian would travel in a Christian path, and as a Buddhist would travel in a Buddhist path.” In retrospect, this inclusiveness is unexpected clear to me. Both Selva and Anuharan authorised me, a stranger, to share a many dedicated partial of their lives, but meddling into my personal eremite beliefs. And after everything, they thanked me, even before we could appreciate them. Their acquire bordered on veneration: “This chairman contingency be sent to us by Lord Murugan!” exclaimed a member of Selva’s environment after a procession, holding my hand. we appreciate him in return, and he rises his chin sideways, a gesticulate that says it all.

Missed a initial partial of this series? We go behind a scenes of Kavadi creation to find out what it means to lift a burden.

Discover some-more things to do, see and experience in Malaysia during www.tourism.gov.my

Sikit Atas Restaurant & Bar @ Damansara Heights

There is no necessity of good restaurants during Damansara Heights. The severe partial is to demeanour for one where we can get nice, stuffing plate that also fits a normal salary-man’s budget. Cue a opening of opening of Sikit Atas (replacing Nerofico) – a infrequent dining grill that aims to offer robust nonetheless wallet accessible meals.
Like a name “Sikit Atas” suggests, we could find somewhat aloft standards of mixture and food credentials process here compared to other restaurants of identical cost range.

Last-Minute-Salad

Besides a common Asian and Western menu, Sikit Atas also offers Northern Indian cuisine to support to a expats operative nearby. So pattern to see engaging alloy dishes such as Chicken Tikka pizza and Prawn n Curry Leafs pasta, only to name a few.
We started off with a delicious looking Chef’s Last Minute Salad @ RM18 consisting of a mesclun brew (assorted immature salad leaves), roasted chicken, cheese, seasoned octopus (similar to Chuka Idako), strips of turkey ham and quartered boiled eggs.
The salad’s vast apportionment with a inexhaustible garnishing make it probable to be common between dual people or more. It could even work as a categorical march for one given it has all we need in a well-balanced meal. For me, what unequivocally distant this salad from a rest is a chef’s special Caesar dressing. It only tasted right and done all come together perfectly.

Chicken-Tikka-Pizza

Sikit Atas’ pizzas are baked regulating a normal wood-fired oven for that fascinating crispy on a outside, feathery on a inside texture. The Chicken Tikka Pizza @ RM20 (small) is their signature pizza and came rarely endorsed by a management.
Well, we could positively see why. This matrimony of Indian and Italian competence seem surprising during initial though it unequivocally worked. It roughly felt like carrying a crispy naan with duck tikka, though with a cheesy onion flavour.

Chicken Makhanwala

On hindsight – we would’ve systematic something else other than another flour-based food. But we did not bewail perplexing a Chicken Makhanwala (with chickpea curry) @ RM24 – a abounding and tawny curry-like plate that’s unequivocally amiable in spiciness.
So if we cite sharp food afterwards this competence not interest to you, as there are other spicier options in a menu. That being said, a essence of this plate was so good that we couldn’t conflict celebration a gravy like it was some kind of thick soup.

Bread Butter Pudding

If we like desserts, you’d be overloaded with choices since there’s a full page dedicated to it. Price wise, a desserts are unequivocally affordable and reasonable since a many costly one is a Classic Bread Butter Pudding (shown above) @ RM16, while a rest float around RM10 to RM13. Even some-more so when we cruise a fact that some desserts are served with Haagen Dazs ice cream.
It is also value observant that all a desserts and cakes accessible during Sikit Atas are done in-house instead of sourcing them from other bakeries.

Sikit-Atas-Restaurant

Ali-Mural

The ambiance during Sikit Atas could be epitomised as sports bar meets song loll in an open dining space. The pattern also allows for copiousness of healthy light that accentuates a regard of this complicated nonetheless classical restaurant.

Breakfast-Set

Sikit-Atas-Damansara-Heights

Currently, there are many promotions going on that seem unequivocally overwhelming from buy 1 giveaway 1 pasta to giveaway coffee (freshly brewed Grand Milano) for some-more than RM10 spent on desserts. So conduct on to their Facebook page to get a latest dip on their promotions. we don’t consider we will be means to list all of them here.

SikitAtas.com
Ground Floor, Wisma Perintis
47 Jalan Dungun, Damansara Heights
50490 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2094 2489

Ramen Kanbe @ Empire Damansara, Petaling Jaya

Not all ramen are combined equal. So before we confirm to eat during Ramen Kanbe, do know that their soup is soy formed and prepared with duck skeleton and vegetables for a light and purify taste.
If we are awaiting thick and low flavoured ramen like those served during Ippudo or Menya Kamikaze, we consider you’d be in for a disappointment. That being said, let’s take a demeanour during some of a dishes offering here.

Ramen

Besides soy formed ramen there’s also a sharp choice that is renouned with a ladies and a cold ramen for a additional prohibited days. One thing we find peculiar about a ramen is that all of them do not come with a cooking egg. Instead, we have an choice to supplement it on alongside some other toppings. Anyway it was usually RM3 for an egg and it was served separately.

Soya-Sauce-Ramen

The Charsiu Ramen @ RM21 is a many renouned object during Ramen Kanbe for a inexhaustible apportionment of burn siu – 7 slices in total. Combined with dual opposite soya sauce, high peculiarity kelp from Hokkaido and salt, a well-seasoned soup has a “clean” coming with a amiable flavour.
The in-house done ramen noodles tasted uninformed with a sleazy well-spoken hardness that’s softer than usual, roughly identical to soba. As for a burn siu, a pig slices were thin, really gaunt comparatively proposal yet really not greasy nor melt-in-your-mouth.

Chicken-Karaage

For dishes, there’s duck Karaage @ RM10 – a tasty Japanese boiled duck done regulating weak thigh only. Recommended stuff.

Gyoza

Pan parched Gyoza @ RM10 – a altogether seasoning competence not be clever adequate for Malaysian ambience buds.

Chashu

If we like their charsiu it is also accessible in break apportionment distance to go with beer. The Otsumami Charsiu @ RM10 has a somewhat opposite ambience from a one served in a noodles, as it was easily soaked in their special soya salsa for a some-more delectable flavour.

Mini-Fried-Rice

A few rice options are accessible here as good with their signature one being a Tenshin-Han Rice. It is fundamentally steamed rice lonesome with a boiled egg and surfaced with their special mix of soya sauce.
But a apportionment looked utterly large so we motionless to try their chef’s special Mini Fried Rice @ RM9 instead. It was good flavoured and full of chunks of meat, despite a small wet for my liking.

Ramen-Kanbe-Interior

As distant as use goes it was delightfully Japanese and tip nick for sure. Overall, it left us with a certain sense even yet a food might not be mind-blowingly good.

Ramen-Kanbe-Empire-Damansara

Ramen Kanbe
G28, Block Empire Retail
Empire Damansara No.2, Jalan PJU 8
47820, PJ, Selangor
Tel : 016-202 5812
Business hours: 11.30am – 10pm

Shaheen Palace Moghul Cuisine @ Kampung Baru

Shaheen Palace serves Northern Indian and Pakistani cuisine with a Malaysian touch. Stepping into a grill feels like a time diverge – unequivocally aged propagandize and a walls are lonesome with cinema from their country menu.
Due to miss of manpower (main plea in any FB business) it was sealed temporarily for a few months during midst of final year. But they have reopened given Aug 2014 and is still in operation on a day of this post.

Shaheen-Palace-Meal

In short, abounding and savoury Moghul cuisine is served here and we have over a hundred affordable dishes to select from. Talk about choices. Despite looking burning hot, many of a dishes we systematic that day were intensely amiable in spiciness and shouldn’t poise a problem to any Malaysian.
However, if we are looking for something spicicer, a kitchen could balance adult a feverishness accordingly. Or we could simply ask for a sharp recommendation, despite usually a handful of options are available.

Shaheen-Tandoori-Naan

The Biryani here is pronounced to be unequivocally good yet we were in a mood for naan instead. So we skipped a rice dishes and went for a Shaheen Tandoori Naan @ RM9.90. It was surfaced with skinny cheese shreds, fruit cocktails and jellies with a essence some-more to a honeyed side.

Bombay-Butter-Chicken

The Bombay Butter Chicken served with a inexhaustible garnishing of cashew nuts and raisins @ RM19.90 is one of a signature dishes here and we can’t suggest it enough. The tawny curry-like gravy was abounding in a essential elements of an Indian plate and goes intensely good with naan, that we gladly mopped adult each final dump of it. Even yet duck breast is used, a beef was proposal adequate to be enjoyed.

Shaheen-Palace Handi-Gosht

Handi Gosht (Mutton Stew) @ RM18.90 is another signature plate that came rarely endorsed by a owner. The mutton was soft, well-spiced and tasty after being delayed baked for a prolonged period. The gravy, that seemed prohibited was indeed unequivocally amiable and also tasted good with naan. But we still elite a butter chicken’s for a thicker consistency.

Shaheen-Palace Palak-Cream

Palak Cream @ RM7.90 – we felt a seasoning was a bit off, as it tasted a tad too salty. This was a usually plate we did not conduct to finish.

Shaheen-Palace Sizzling-Fish

We also systematic a seafood plate that was a Shaheen Sizzling Fish @ RM25.90. Sizzling vessel dishes are also a specialty here and we could have it with prawns, beef and chicken. Flavour correct it was unequivocally identical to a meal we had yet with a heavier tomato presence. The fish was unequivocally uninformed yet altogether a plate felt utterly oily.

Shaheen-Palace

For initial timers, this grill could be wily to find since it’s indeed utterly dark from a categorical road. Even with Waze and GPS we had to ask a business owners circuitously for a accurate location.
Despite some teenager misses in dual of a dishes, Shaheen Palace was still value a difficulty looking for. Ultimately, a good still outweighed a bad by a prolonged shot.

Shaheen-Palace-Restaurant

Shaheen Palace – The House of Authentic Moghul Cuisine
27, Lorong Haji Hussein Satu
Kampung Baru, 50300 Kuala Lumpur
Business hours: Mon – Thu (12pm – 11pm), Fri (5pm – 11pm), Sat – Sun (12pm – 11pm)
Tel: 03-2698 2828 / 012-224 9551

Harley’s Burgers @ Taman Tun Dr Ismail, KL

One would customarily associate burgers with diseased quick food in Malaysia yet Harley’s during TTDI competence be out to change this perception. Inspired by a American In-N-Out, Harley’s emphasizes on mutation of their burgers by doing divided with preservatives.
Their 100% Australian beef patties are never solidified nor precooked and all orders are baked during a time of sequence to safeguard freshness. Make no mistake though, Harley’s is a home-grown Malaysian code that is in a midst of expanding a series of outlets locally after a successful exam run in Yangon, Myanmar.

Harley's Set-Meal

The candid menu offers 3 varieties of hamburger, one duck burger and dual forms of boiled chicken. To make it a meal, we could name ice lemon tea or ginger tea afterwards name another side of potato salad, coleslaw or classical fries. For an additional RM2.50 we could ascent a libation into a some-more gratifying and stuffing milkshake – a renouned choice among a customers.

Harley's Cheese-Burger

I have a robe of comparing how a burger looks compared to what was advertised. In this case, Harley’s burgers positively upheld a exam as they demeanour identical to a ads and seem appetizing as well.
As for a burger salsa we could name between a Harley’s mayonnaise formed tip salsa or classical BBQ sauce. Both tasted equally good, with their possess merits so it’s unequivocally adult to your possess preference.
And given they do not overdo a sauce, a burger fits in your hand, binds good together and does not tumble detached into a messy mess. You could still, however ask for some-more salsa (at no additional assign during a moment) if we want.

Harley's 2x2-Burger

The Cheeseburger @ RM7.90 is a classical delivery and we could indeed ambience a healthy essence of a beef. Freshness of a veggies was apparent from a frail break of a lettuce, onion and luscious tomatoes. For beef lovers a 2×2 burger @ RM11.90 is not to be missed.
It is radically a cheeseburger with double a beef and cheese. If we are feeling unequivocally insatiable we could even sequence a 3×3, 4×4 or as many as your ardour and wallet allow.

Harley's Chicken-Burger

As for non beef eaters, we won’t feel left out as a crunchy Chicken Burger @ RM6.90 done with a whole duck thigh is a genuine pleasure on a own.

Harley's Crispy-Chicken

Fried-Chicken-for-Scale

We also managed to try a Crispy Chicken (4pcs @ RM14.90) that emerged as a biggest warn of a meal. The vast pieces of boiled duck (sauce sachet for scale) put a other incomparable franchises to contrition and like a burgers, they were usually baked on order.
Despite carrying to wait 15 mins for it, a wait was simply value it since a boiled duck stayed prohibited and crispy via a meal.

Ordering-Counter

Overall it was a gratifying knowledge during Harley’s and hopefully a food will be as good when new branches open in a future. Price-wise, we felt it was reasonable deliberation many of a mixture used in a burgers were noticeably higher compared to a rest.

Harley's-TTDI

Harley’s
LG-01 LG-0, LGB Tower
No.1, Jalan Wan Kadir,
Taman Tun Dr Ismail 60000 KL
Business hour: 7.30am – 11pm

Al-Hamra Restaurant during Mataram

After a prolonged stretch roving from a jetty of Gili Nanggu, we reached a collateral of Lombok Island – Mataram. Our motorist directly expostulate us to a grill for dinner, yes…we were hungry!

Al-Hamra Restaurant (Arabian cuisine) (S8.58223 E116.10534),  we reached a end in a ideal timing! Because energy failure! The whole grill was aflame with candles and looks regretful in a way…haha!

 print IMG_3358_zps01ce63c5.jpg

There were candles aflame in each dilemma in a restaurant, and all us were watchful in a room…for dinner.

 print IMG_3342_zpsb034d0a9.jpg
 print IMG_3343_zps58811c77.jpg

Fortunately a electricity resume in about 15 minutes…smile on everybody face instantly! Haha!

And we started to snap around…the grill is flashy in Arabian way…cozy, relax and comfort in each corner.

 print IMG_3355_zps76f5a435.jpg
 print IMG_3356_zps3e988a26.jpg

One of a debate partner is a vegetarian, and her plate was a initial on a table…well, no criticism on it.

 print IMG_3350_zps9304c487.jpg

After a while, everybody food was served on table, flattering fast! Everyone has same plate that was a duck soup, followed by their signature grilled lamb.

 print IMG_3363_zpsd7b365f8.jpg

The soup was tasty, and somehow a bit singular of a taste. we utterly like it.

The grilled lamb was good marinated, though not proposal enough…maybe due to a energy failure…maybe…but we enjoyed a lamb really much!
It ambience differently review with Arab cuisine in Malaysia, we trust all since of a opposite spices and spices were use to prepared.

 print IMG_3367_zpszpxhhyaq.jpg
 print IMG_3370_zps4cc0ec8d.jpg
 print IMG_3368_zpsv7fptbro.jpg

Everyone was served for a Arabian boiled rice after a lamb. We like a special ambience of it, went good with a sambal chili. Excellent!

 print IMG_3374_zps6400b1dc.jpg

I’m not good to outcome in Arabian cuisine, though a cooking was ambience above average. It’s value to try if we are occur in Mataram, Lombok Island.

The grill has plenty parking lot, even for demonstrate bus…we satisfied it after a electricity resume.

 print IMG_3359_zps78cef0c1.jpg

After a dinner, we had another 45 mins on highway roving behind to Senggigi beach where a review located…let’s rockz!

Related post for Lombok island outing :-
*  Airasia media FAM outing to Lombok Island – Indonesia on Jul 2014

BarBQ Plaza Eat All You Can Refill Promotion

As a fan of BarBQ Plaza, we was anxious to know that their eat all we can promo is back. Basically we get to sequence sum refills of ala grant from their special menu for a bound price.
For RM29.90 we get a Happy Refills, that embody mostly meat, vegetables and some processed food. For an additional RM10 we could opt for a Super Refill that let we indulge in seafood too such as shrimp, mussles, fish fillet, bombard scallops and a few some-more reward meats like Australian Lamb. If we ask me, a RM10 is value profitable for a additional tantalizing stuff.

Here’s a eat all we can menu. Even yet it says a dining time is singular to 120 minutes, we don’t consider it was particularly enforced. But don’t take my difference for it, as it competence be a opposite box during other branches.
If we are wondering, we had this dish during their AEON Metro Prima Kepong branch. To start off with a meal, we are asked to select between a Economy Pork and Beef set. Then, fill in a customized grouping chits on a list for a refillable items.

Barbq-Plaza-Pork-Set

We went for a Economy Pork Set. The sirloin, pig swell and Australian Lamb were some-more gratifying compared to a other beef selections.

Barbq-Plaza-Seafood

We also had a lot of seafood. The uninformed and proposal shrimps were a many beguiling for us followed by a fish fillets. The rest was alright – zero yet your standard solidified seafood found during any smorgasboard steamboat restaurants.

barbq piazza Australian-Lamb-and-Smoked-Duck

The refillable equipment come in tiny portions. we consider that is a good thing given it allows we to try opposite food equipment and conduct your dish better. Drinks are charity in a menu too yet usually singular to Chinese tea, herbal tea and immature tea.

Barbq-Plaza-Unlimited-Refills

Even yet it’s eat all we can, a peculiarity of a food is still good maintained. The turn of compensation we got was still really identical to what we used to suffer formerly by grouping around a ala grant menu. Also, a salsa and orange extract are now served in bottles for improved patron convenience.

Barbq-Plaza-Refill-SPM-Eat-All-You-Can

For a new SPM leavers, we should know that BarBQ Plaza is charity giveaway and ignored Happy Refill dishes according to your formula until 20th Mar 2015. Just move your SPM outcome slips and marker label for corroboration for redemption. Because of this, a grill was full of tyro customers.

Barbq-Plaza-Jusco-Kepong

I am not certain how prolonged this graduation will final given there’s no central word about it. Just keep in mind that a eat all we can promo is accessible during all outlets, yet usually during weekdays. No reservation is allowed, as business are served on initial come initial offer basis.
In sum we paid about RM94 for dual pax that enclosed all a use and supervision taxes – value it if we are large eater, even some-more so if we like BarBQ Plaza as most as we do. Check out their Facebook for a latest refurbish on any persisting promo.

Aeon Metro Prima Kepong, Lot F26
Tel : 603- 6730 8401
Other branches information can be found here

3 Bags Full @ Kota Damansara

Despite a name, it’s not all lamb during 3 Bags Full. In fact, this rather new investiture during Kota Damansara is set on portion good coffee and engaging dishes in a reduction than pretended atmosphere. Both times we were here, we were greeted enthusiastically by a accessible and comfortable staff who welcomed us like aged friends.

3 Bags Full Norwegian-Benedict

At 3 Bags Full there are dual sets of menu: brunch lunch and dinner. The brunch lunch menu facilities mostly lighter dishes during some-more affordable prices. Egg-based dishes, waffles and pasta make adult many of a selections and not to forget a vast choices of prohibited and cold beverages too.
As a name suggests, one would have approaching a Norwegian Benedict @ RM23 to have smoked salmon. But if we complicated a outline delicately you’d notice that it had turkey ham instead. However, smoked salmon and a handful of other mixture are accessible as add-ons for a reasonable price.
Anyway, a poached eggs were good finished – comfortable with that tasty runny coherence in a yolks. Everything else (hollandaise sauce, colourless muffin and shiitake) was gratifying as good and we favourite a crunchy boiled asparagus. we suspicion it was a good combined touch.

Buffalo-Cheese-Sandwich

The Buffalo Cheese Sandwich @ RM23 was a bit of a letdown deliberation a cost and mixture that seemed promising. We couldn’t unequivocally detect a flavours blueberry mascarpone and buffalo cheese as advertised.

3 Bags Full Coffee

Coffees are pretty labelled here and a customary is adult there in my opinion. For non-caffeine drinkers, a milkshakes are good too and really value a try.

Lobster-Bisque

Our second revisit was during cooking use where some-more tasty and robust options are available. The lobster bisque @ RM13 was one of a specials of a day. It was rich, tawny and packed with essence only a approach we approaching it to be.

3 Bags Full Pan-Fried-Salmon

The Griddled Salmon Fillet @ RM39 was finished ideally – somewhat charred on a edges while a core was tender, pinkish and flakey all a approach through. The drizzle of red peppers pesto was positively necessary, as it towering this plate from good to something great. We also appreciated a healthy avocado accompaniment that has always been a classical pairing with salmon.

3 Bags Full Squid-Ink-Pasta

We were not too acceptable of carrying boiled ginger strands as garnishing, though differently a Squid Ink Pasta with Lobster Meat @ RM33 was deliciously briny. The lobster was well fresh, honeyed and tender and valid to be utterly a decadent experience.

3 Bags Full Sizzling-Brownie

Lastly, for desserts we could not suggest a Sizzling Brownie (RM17) more. Watch as a caramel salsa sizzles as it gets poured over a prohibited expel iron platter, melting a vanilla chocolate while cloaking a handcrafted spirit in a process.
It competence sound excessively sweet, though a caramel was indeed pickled so it offset off a benevolence of a brownie. A revisit to 3 Bags Full competence be fitting only for this dessert alone.

3-Bags-Full-Interior

3-Bags-Full-Specials

3-Bags-Full-Cafe

3-Bags-Full-Kota-Damansara

3 Bags Full Cafe Restaurant
No 38A-1, Jalan PJU 5/10
Dataran Sunway, Kota Damansara
47810 Petaling Jaya
Tel: 03-6150 2831
Business hours: Tue to Fri (11am – 11pm), Sat to Sun (11am -12am) Closed on Mondays

Sg Dua Char Koay Teow @ Butterworth, Penang

I have substantially pronounced this a few times before yet we am going to repeat it again. If we are a Char Koay Teow (CKT) partner and formulation on visiting Penang soon, do yourself a foster and try a Malay chronicle as well. It is also referred to as Koay Teow basah, as it does have a soppy coming due to a gravy.
Do keep in mind though, that this is not a Halal chronicle of a Chinese CKT. The mixture competence seem identical yet a credentials character and ambience are totally different.
And of march this kind of CKT could also be found in KL. But carrying attempted utterly a few of them, we got to contend they are still a distant cry from a best.

Sg Dua Char-Koay-Teow-Biasa

For some reasons this image is some-more renouned and simply accessible during a mainland side of Penang eg. Bukit Mertajam, Butterworth and Seberang Jaya. Each city we mentioned has a possess CKT stalls and restaurants with their possess following of customers.
The latest CKT we attempted was located during Jalan Sungai Dua during Butterworth. Besides dishing out good CKT, they are also famous for soaking a duck eggs before to cooking hence their ‘telur di basuh’ tagline.
There are 3 versions of CKT we could try here: biasa (RM4.50) , besar (RM5) and special (RM5.50). The biasa one shown above is some-more of break apportionment yet should be gratifying adequate for a ladies. It has usually a handful of noodles with a few prawns and cockles.

Sg Dua Char-Koay-Teow-Special

I always go for a special chronicle that has a some-more inexhaustible portion of seafood and surfaced off with a boiled egg. The additional RM1 is value profitable for if we ask me.
It will not win any awards for display yet we assure we it tasted unequivocally delicious. The essence is especially honeyed and delectable subsequent from a baked prawns, finish with a sniff of incense from a combined eggs. But a tip part to a unequivocally good CKT is a tip ‘kicap’ that goes into it – instead of a cook or his skills and experience.

Sg Dua Char Koay Teow-Special

Among a many CKT stalls we have been to, this was a usually one that offering boiled prawns alone. we gave it a try quite out of oddity and found that a salsa had a some-more heated flavour. However, we won’t be grouping it again given it cost RM7 per plate. I’d rather have another portion of their special CKT.

Frying-Char-Koay-Teow

With 4 chefs during work, plats of CKT literally fly out of a kitchen. So it won’t take prolonged for your orders to arrive. Ordering your food, on a other palm could be a wily and rather antipathetic experience.

Sg Dua Char Koay Teow

Sg Dua Char Koay Teow

Besides Sg Dua, we could also find this various of CKT during AlmaBukit Mertajam and Seberang Jaya. All of them are equally good with usually a extrinsic difference.

Sungai Dua Char Koay Teow (Telur Ayam Di Basuh)
Jalan Sungai Dua
13800 Butterworth, Penang
Business hours: 5pm – 3am (closed on Wednesdays)