Top 5 Things I'm Loving Now - May 1, 2012

If you’re an avid visitor of spot.ph, an entertainment and lifestyle website, you would be familiar with this format. In fact, I watch out for it every week. It’s a Top 10 list with random things that the writer is loving at the moment. It may be neat gadget, a yummy drink or popsicle find from their nearest 7Eleven or a cool event that’s happening in the metro. It’s as random as can be. That’s the format I’m trying to incorporate in this blog.



So here’s my very first Top 5 Things I’m Loving at the Moment. I really wanted to write about 10 initially. But in order to have more updates, I though I’d resort to 5...for now. ;-)


Number 5: Southern Blend Iced Tea from Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf

 For their tea of the day, I had the choice between the Southern Blend and Vanilla Ceylon. I was going to get the latter but it’s a good thing that I decided to ask the cashier what the Southern Blend exactly is. The cashier was going to enumerate it. But when he first said the taste of flower petals, I was already sold. I didn’t bother to hear the rest. I love Jasmine tea and Chrysanthemum. This shouldn’t be far off, I thought. Well, it isn’t. The drink is nice and refreshing. Just the right amount of sweetness and it goes down very smoothly. If you’re not a fan of tea because you don’t like the tannin aftertaste, that won’t be a problem for this drink. It’s not too noticeable. If you’ve been to Memphis, this drink is exactly like their Sweet Tea there. Really yummy!


The drink only costs P95 for the regular size. Pair it with the Triple Decker Cheesecake at P135 a slice like I did and you should be off to an indulgent and well-deserved afternoon treat!


Number 4: SM Bonus Liquid Floor Wax




Sorry the bottle looks icky. You can tell it's being used a lot! ;-)

 You probably don’t know this about me. But I’m really OC or anal when it comes to cleaning the house. Naturally, there are particular cleaning products that I lean towards that do the job as it should. Often, I have the mindset that the more expensive it is, the better it cleans. After discovering SM Bonus’ liquid floor wax, I was proven wrong. I always went for Pledge. It does fine but SM Bonus’ liquid wax does it better.


The purchase was an “accident.” Working for BDO, my husband was given Sodexo GCs after Christmas. Our only option for grocery shopping was SM Hypermart. And since SM, for obvious reasons, is loyal to their own SM bonus brand, they wiped out the other competition. That is precisely the reason why they don’t sell brands like Colgate, Pledge, and the like. Needing liquid wax badly at that time for my OC weekend cleaning, I was ‘stuck’ with the SM Bonus brand. And I’m glad I was. The SM Bonus liquid wax really does make the floor so shiny! I could almost see my reflection our wooden floor! It stays shiny longer too than Pledge. I can’t remember the exact price but I’m pretty sure it’s at least P20 cheaper than Pledge?


Number 3: “Decorate: 1000 Professional Ideas Design Ideas for Every Room in Your Home” book



Source: http://www.thetomkatstudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/DECORATE-book1.jpg



I’m always fond of going to bookstores when I need to kill time. My recent find is “Decorate” by Holly Becker and Joanna Copestick at the National Bookstore in the PowerPlant Mall. I’m sure this book is available in other stores and branches.


I say that this is one of the things that I’m loving at the moment because the book is truly inspiring! Upon skimming the whole book, it made me want immediately run home and redecorate! The book is loaded with pictures for inspiration and their design sense is almost Ikea-ish. The rooms they feature look lived-in and not like model homes (which often do not have televisions!) I mean, really, do you know anyone who doesn’t have a television or two at home??!?? They feature modern homes that still look homey. There are bits and splashes of colour everywhere and most of all, all the homes have character! These are not intimidating homes though. You can easily be inspired by the pictures to make tiny changes in your home that are inexpensive but will draw a lot of impact.


The book retails at P1,545. Decorate away! ;-)


Number 2: Ink eMagazines at http://www.ink-live.com/

I found out about this website from another blog that I frequent. It was one of the links that he included in his entry to forward us to an article that he wrote. Anyway, I became giddy as I explored the website. What a gem! And it’s all free! All you have to do is register, really.


In a nutshell, this is a website that allows free access to airline magazines. When you fly with Cebu Pacific, they have the Smile magazine right? Well, this is available here – back issues included! To top it all off, other magazines like TimeOut Singapore, Thomas Cook’s Travel, Jetstar, Air Macau, Holland Herald and 45 others! Upon registering, just make sure to click on “Update Profile” on the top right corner, then “Select Magazines” so you can add the magazines that you wish to have access to. Such excellent travel resource! In particular, I love reading those destination blurbs in the Smile magazine near the end. Each domestic and international destination that Cebu Pacific flies to has a little section. The contributor is a local of that place and they talk about their most favorite secret breakfast place, bar, best food recommendation, and the like. This is sooooo helpful if you’re the assigned itinerary creator in your trip like I am. ;-)


Although you can access this as well in any mobile device like your iPad, just a note that you really need a fast connection to access this. Otherwise, it’s easy to get frustrated. I wish that they would allow downloading of their issues straight from the website into the iBook or something. This way, you can access them and read them even when you’re offline or even if your wifi is slow.


Number 1: Golden Euphoria Cake from Maitre Chocolatier

When looking at any restaurant menu, it’s very rare to find the actual food serving looking better than it is in the picture. Especially when it comes to dessert.

Well, Maitre Chocolatier really did impress! Not only is their food better looking than their pictures but the cake that we had was truly amazing! I’m talking about their Golden Euphoria –Ferrero Hazelnut Cake. The name alone begs for high expectations already. And the ohhh the pictures! The actual dessert? Real orgasmic. ;-) Hahaha! The texture mixes smooth and crunchy really well. Chocolate is everywhere in different levels of sweetness and texture. Meant to be savored one tiny though indulgent bite at a time and definitely NOT meant for sharing! Trust me on this or else a fight might ensue! ;-) Hahaha! This one definitely made my list of Top 5 dessert of all time.

A slice of the Golden Euphoria costs P218. I’m trying to remember but I think we had to pay extra for VAT and Service Charge. Maitre Chocolatier is along Jupiter Street Extension in Makati. Coming from Makati Avenue, go to the Jupiter part heading to the MRT. It’s near the Starbuck’s there. Enjoy your orgasm! Oooops, I meant dessert! ;-) LOL

Like Visiting Grandma's House

When you ask people for a list of restaurants that exemplify Filipino cuisine, the places that are repeatedly mentioned include Fely J's, Abe, Sentro, and Cafe Juanita. I've eaten at Fely J's and Abe and enjoyed my meals there each time. I have yet to try Sentro. But as for Cafe Juanita, I finally had a chance to dine there over the weekend. Cafe Juanita also has a branch in Pasig, but we opted to go to the Burgos Circle branch in Taguig. So much has been written about Cafe Juanita in blogs, magazines, and newspapers. It was even recommended in the book, "Manila By Day." They were all rave reviews. Needless to say, we had really high expectations of the place. So in the end, were we disappointed? Read on and find out...;-)

My husband and I were very hungry so we ordered quite a feast. Here's what we had:

Juanita's Caesar Salad (we asked them to hold the croutons) PhP 275

Gambas Ala Jillo PhP 237

Two-Way Pork Adobo Ribs PhP 495

Yang Chow Fried Rice PhP 187

Sticky Toffee Pudding PhP127

And here are my general impressions:

1.) Ambience -- "Kitschy" is the most appropriate adjective to describe the decor and feel of the place. We've got feathers, antiques, embroidered linen, floral everything, and even some Christmas decor (in July!) It seems as if you're just visiting your Grandma's place. There's a ton of knick knacks in such a small place. But you know what? I really liked it. The place has character and the fact that it's like anyone's Grandma's house make it truly endearing. ;-)

2.) The place is a bit small. If you're one who gets claustrophobic, request for a table on the second floor instead. Or a table by the window with a view. We went on a Sunday and there were a number of people there. We sat on the first floor -- the table that's next to the bar and cashier. It wasn't a very good spot because first off, it was a little dark in the area. The place could really use better lighting, altogether. The spaces between other tables and chairs were quite small too. It seemed as if anyone could easily eavesdrop on your conversation.

3.) Service -- The waiters were very attentive. They fill up your glass with water without even requesting it. We didn't have to wait too long for our food too. In fact, I don't think we waited more than five minutes before the first dish arrived. I also appreciated how the food arrived in the type of meal course. For instance, the salad arrived before the main dish and the rice arrived together with our viands. Perfect! The waiters were trained very well! ;-)

4.) Caesar Salad -- Nothing spectacular, really. I think they scrimped on the dressing. The lettuce was nice and crispy though. At PhP 275, I think it was too expensive. The pricing is a bit strange, actually. How can their Caesar Salad be priced higher than their Gambas? If you're dining here, you can definitely skip this one.

5.) Gambas ala Jillo -- This one was served with mushrooms and about 8-10 pcs of shrimps. It was very scrumptious, alright. Definitely something that I would order again. You can tell that the shrimps were fresh and although it burst with flavor, the sauce wasn't overpowering. Two thumbs up! ;-)

6.) Yang Chow Fried Rice -- Ooooh, they were quite generous with the shrimps! And I loved how the fried rice isn't greasy at all. Their Yang Chow is tasty enough that you can eat it on its own and mild enough in flavor that you can eat with a viand too. The only down side is that for all the dishes that we ordered, portions are quite small. Realistically, they're enough to satisfy two people or one person with a hearty appetite!

7.) Two-Way Pork Adobo -- The main thing that this dish has going for it is the fact that the meat is very very tender. It melts in your mouth and you can cut it in smaller portions without the use of a knife! All you'll need to do is just poke it with your fork and there goes the smaller portions! ;-) It's the most tender Adobo that I've ever had in my life. But sad to say, it wasn't the best-tasting adobo I've ever had in my life though. I think my mother-in-law's Adobo is better. And in terms of flavor, I think even my Adobo could compete?!?? ;-) I think what the Adobo needs is more garlic. We need more of that zing. The flavor is too mild.

8.) Sticky Toffee Pudding -- I'm only going to say this once and you better listen well. Do not, I repeat do NOT leave Cafe Juanita without ordering this dessert! ;-) Oh my. I think I'm in love! ;-) It's a simple equation: Moist pudding + warm and sticky toffee + cold Vanilla ice cream = pure heaven! I loved the mixture between hot and cold. The pudding wasn't too sweet but when you bring them all together in your mouth -- all the flavors and textures -- WOW! Just a suggestion. If you're dining at Cafe Juanita with somebody else, don't bother offering to share it. No matter how full you get, you WILL be able to finish a whole serving on your own. Tell your friend to order his own! ;-) Hahaha!

In a word, I would describe Cafe Juanita as very homey. Their food has that homecooked "feel." Everything, it seems, is cooked with simple ingredients but done quite well. We were there on a Sunday afternoon. And it was just like we were visiting Grandma's house and feasting on Grandma's cooking. The true definition of "Comfort Food." Definitely an experience that we will revisit in the very very near future! ;-)

Note: I only used a camera phone to take the pictures. Sorry they're dark and blurry. Check out these other links for pictures of the location and their menu

OUR AWESOME PLANET

FOODIE BUDGET TRAVELER

CAFE JUANITA

Unit WS-2 Burgos Circle

Forbestown Center, Fort Bonifacio

Taguig City

For Reservations: 403-1952

Hawker Heaven and a Beauty Find at Resorts World Manila

Resorts World Manila is beginning to be my new favorite place. Never mind the fact that finding an available parking spot can be a nightmare in itself. Last Saturday evening, we had planned to go there for a nightcap. But seeing that there's no available parking in any of the 2 outdoor parking lots and of that one connected to Newport, we had to turn back, make a change of plan, and head to BGC instead.


Tonight was no different, actually. Parking is still a nightmare. But we toughed it out this time. We lined up at the parking lot across Marriott and waited until people left and parking spaces cleared out. When we got there, we were the 6th car in line. Thank God that two of the cars ahead of us backed out. We were fourth in line now and in total, we still had to wait 20 minutes. They really have to do something about this parking issue.


Well, enough of my ranting. ;-) Once we got inside Newport, everything had been forgotten. We were starving and we decided to have dinner at the Old Penang Restaurant to satisfy my craving for hawker fare. You can find the Old Penang Restaurant on the 4th floor of Newport. It's right across McDonald's and it's on the same floor as the cinemas.


There's nothing fancy about the restaurant's decor. There's little space between the tables and the chairs really aren't that comfortable. You're sitting on stools, actually. They're wooden and there's nothing to rest your back on. Except for the framed black and white pictures of old Malaysia, there's really no other decor in the place. It just has the bare essentials.

When we entered the restaurant, a waiter promptly greeted us and led us to a table. Within one short minute, the menus were quickly handed out, utensils were laid out, and the waiter was able to help us make our choices. We asked about their bestsellers and the waiter, without skipping a beat, said that it was their Char Kway Teow and Roasted Chicken that topped the list. Looking around, it seemed that these were the same things that the other patrons ordered. And they looked sumptious! We trusted the waiter and ordered these along with an extra cup of Chicken Rice (the Roasted Chicken only came with 1 cup of rice) and Iced Teh Tarik to drink.

After five minutes, the first to arrive were our beverages. I took a sip of the Iced Teh Tarik (PhP85) and it did taste authentic. It wasn't too sweet that it completely masked the tea. It was just right. But for PhP85 per glass, I found it priced a little too steep. I wish they had made the serving much larger or they could bring the price down a bit. After all, a third of the glass is really just ice anyway.

A couple of minutes later, the Hainanese Roasted Chicken Set (PhP245) plus our extra Hainanese Rice (PhP50) were served. We were also served a tiny bowl of condiments for the chicken. Mixed in there already is the minced ginger, chili sauce, and soy sauce. So what did we think of their Hainanese Roasted Chicken Set? First off, we were quite impressed with the serving size. The chicken is good for 2-3 people! The meat is not as tender as the ones at Wee Nam Kee but I think Old Penang's version is definitely much tastier. The skin is soft and bursting with flavor! As for the Chicken Rice, I've had better but all in all, it's really not bad. That's just me being picky though. ;-) Altogether, we were impressed. A mere ten minutes away from where we live, we will definitely be back at Old Penang to satisfy a Hainanese chicken craving!

Oh, but we're not done with the meal yet! Just as we were enjoying our Hainanese Chicken, the Char Kway Teow (PhP220) arrived just a couple of minutes after. It was piping hot and had all the toppings that a Char Kway Teow should have. It had enough scrambled eggs, a couple of large shrimps, bean sprouts, onions, chorizo, and a few greens. The other Char Kway Teows that I've had here in Manila often ended up being too greasy. The one at Old Penang, thankfully, was not. The noodles are as gooey and "slimy" as they should be but I wish they had put in more bean sprouts. I like how the texture of the noodles juxtapose with the crunch of the bean sprouts. As for the taste, I'm sure it could be better but it's close enough to how I've had it in Singapore. It hits the spot just right. ;-)

The food at the Old Penang is a definite two thumbs up. But what's even more remarkable is the service. We were really impressed! Their waiters and staff are not only quick on their feet but they're quite attentive too. We had asked for the bill already and the waitress had started clearing our table. Even then, I was surprised that she came back to hand me a cold glass of water. It's like she read my mind. I had a glass of the Teh Tarik and was feeling a bit thirsty. And without needing to ask, the glass of cold water was served. Another waiter was in charge with processing our credit card payment. Jojo and I were in the middle of our conversation when the receipt and credit card were handed back to us in one of those leather booklets. After Jojo signed the bill, the waiter took the time to remove the credit card and receipt from the booklet and personally handed it back to Jojo. I guess he was thinking that we might forget to take it out of the leather booklet so he took the initiative to hand it back. It's these small gestures that really count. We were really pleased with the service at Old Penang. They really go out of their way to please their customers. This is one of the reasons why you'll definitely see us back there. To boot, the food is great and the prices -- for the most part, are reasonable too. It's the perfect place for a satisfying meal that is sure to transport you to Hawker Heaven! I can't wait to try the other items on their menu on our subsequent visits! ;-)

This is completely off topic but apart from Old Penang, I'd also like to share a shopping find that I discovered at one of the shops in Newport. On a recent visit a few weeks back, we bought a couple of the PhP65 face masks that we found at The Face Shop just for kicks When we got home, we immediately tried it after I was able to successfully convince Jojo to put on the face mask as well. ;-) After all, I didn't want to be only "silly-looking" one. Jojo had to be silly-looking WITH me. ;-) Well, you know what? We liked the results. Jojo commented that the face mask gave his face a certain glow. ;-) It made our skin a bit more firmer too. Because of that, Jojo and I excitedly went to The Face Shop at Newport to buy more and try the other masks as well. I didn't know which one to pick since all the other masks looked quite interesting. There's a Mung Bean face mask, cereal, lemon, and so many other variants. They also have a special promo which I just have to share. If you buy five of any combination from the Jasmine and Fennel variant, Geranium and Everlasting Flower, and/or Tea Tree and Bergamot, you can get a free Oil Pore Minimizer Sampler Set. Each of the mask sheets cost PhP95. Buy five of these for a total of PhP475 and you get the sample set too. The sampler set consists of 30 ml Controlling Toner with Powder, 30 ml Controlling Emulsion, and 5 ml Controlling Essence -- all aiming to minimize pores. I have yet to try it to see how effective it is. But so far, The Face Shop hasn't failed me. I've tried their nail polishes too and I like how they stay on without chipping. My skin is very sensitive and their mask sheets hasn't caused my skin to break out. That's a good sign. I have a feeling their Pore Minimizer Sample Set might just be as effective too. I couldn't pass up a great deal. Five mask sheets and a sample set for only PhP475. What a steal! There's still more on stock. Hurry on in to Newport's The Face Shop to catch the deal too! ;-)

Yogurts in Disguise

I must be one of the very few who just caught on to the yogurt craze here in Manila. It took me a while because I never was into yogurts to begin with. In fact, I hated it. I'm not fond of it's tart and sour taste. For me, it's neither dessert nor appetizer. It doesn't satisfy dessert cravings and it's a little too sour to start a meal with. I couldn't stomach it as a snack either. I feel like that sour taste needs to be accompanied with something else. In a nutshell, I was never really a fan of yogurts and I was so close to not giving it a chance at all. For me, yogurts are only good when used in Mediterranean cuisine for their sauces and dressings.

That is, until I came across a couple of yogurt places in Manila that have yogurts that well, don't taste like yogurt at all! ;-) They taste like ice cream or sorbet! They taste really good and they carry with them the list of benefits below too:
- boosts the immune system,
- reduces blood pressure,
- decreases the risks of certain cancers,
- aids in digestion,
- provides calcium, Vitamin B, etc.,
- AND most of all, yogurts have much lesser calories and sugar than ice cream!

We get the best of both worlds here. So if that's the case, I wonder, why have ice cream still? Just like what I will do from now on, I'll just visit one of these two places which have yogurts in disguise! ;-) Yogurts that taste like ice cream without the calories! Yay! ;-)

1.) Golden Spoon in Magallanes

WHAT I ORDERED: Cake Batter yogurt topped with cookie dough (Php 105 - mini cup plus one topping)
PRICES: Mini (Php 85), Small (Php 155), Large (Php 220), Quart (Php 499); Toppings (Php 20 each)
MY THOUGHTS: Their yogurts taste SO MUCH like ice cream that I just had to ask the server about it very suspiciously: "Are you sure this is yogurt??!??" ;-) Hahaha! Well, it is! And my face might have lit up so much that's why the server gave me this huge grin. ;-) The thickness, the creaminess, the texture and the taste --- it's all ice cream, I'm telling you! ;-) The only difference must be that their yogurts are not as sweet as ice cream and they're light. You don't get the same "ick" feeling after having two scoops of sinful ice cream. You still get your fill though. And it definitely satisfies the craving. The cookie dough was an excellent topping. It was chewy and really went well with the cake batter flavor! I'm willing to explore other yogurt places. But for now, I get the feeling that this is the best non-yogurt tasting yogurt place in the country! They have such interesting flavors too. For my next visit, I plan to have the Island Coconut yogurt (small instead of mini this time!) topped with English Toffee. Yum! ;-)

2.) Tutti Frutti at Glorietta 4

WHAT I ORDERED: A mix of coffee and chocolate yogurt topped with mochi balls and almonds (7 oz in total for Php 140)
PRICES: PhP 20 for every ounce (includes all yogurts and toppings)
MY THOUGHTS: The texture of their yogurt is between ice cream and sorbet. It's not completely as thick and creamy as ice cream but it's not as soft and watery as sorbet either. It's an in-betweenie. In comparison to Golden Spoon, their yogurts are a bit sweeter. I liked the fact that they have mochi balls as a choice for a topping though. Golden Spoon doesn't have that. Tutti Frutti has a lot more choices of fruit toppings too.

For me, I think that Tutti Frutti is a nice alternative if you're in the Glorietta area. You see, they only have Golden Spoon in Greenhills and Paseo de Magallanes. Tutti Frutti's yogurts are also light in "sorbet"-kind of way. Creamy enough but not as close to ice cream as Golden Spoon is. The good thing about Tutti Frutti is that it's self-serve. You can manage your portions and you're not bound by fixed cup sizes. It's like being a kid in a candy store. You can mix all the yogurt flavors if you want and put bits of all the different toppings too! It's really a whole lot of fun! ;-)

My Favorite Things: Kenny Rogers' Grilled Four-Cheese Sandwich

As you may already be aware, I LOVE cheese! Just as much as I love shopping, cheese is the other thing that leaves my day on a high note regardless of how awful it's been. Or if I'm not feeling particularly awful, cheese is just my go-to for comfort food. In short, cheese is my "happy" food! ;-)

Whenever that craving for cheese kicks in, automatically, it's Kenny Rogers Roasters that come to mind. Or if I can afford it, from some swanky hotel's cheese plate at their buffet. Usually though, my choices are pasta at Sbarro, pizza at Yellow Cab, Pizza Hut, or Greenwich, or the Ham and Cheese Sandwich at Pancake House. These are the restos at Market, Market which I usually pass through after work. These places all have good cheeses but I'm usually feeling guilty after eating at any of these restos. Do you know how many calories there are in a serving of pasta at Sbarro's??!?? Find out for yourself HERE. That's 700 calories for a plate of their Baked Ziti. The rest are just as sinful, I'm sure.

Anyway, I get my cheese fill at Kenny Rogers when I order their Grilled Four-Cheese Sandwich. It costs PhP 105 on its own. But I often order it with their Lite Iced Tea and crispy Fries at only PhP 135 in total. It's a perfectly light meal with that ultimate cheese goodness! I absolutely love it! In fact, to maximize that cheese "kick," I take out the top bread slice and eat it open-faced. YUM! And that's without the guilt! It is, after all, served on a whole-wheat panini with nothing but the four gooey cheeses (cheddar, mozzarella, Parmesan, and Monterey Jack). The fries that accompany it are crispy and not too too greasy. Frankly, I like the fries at Kenny Rogers better than McDonald's. As for their lite iced tea, it's obviously sugar-free. Not too sweet but it has a bit of an aftertaste. From the Splenda maybe? Well, if you're not fond of sugar-free drinks, you can always opt to get one of their smoothies. I think these start at PhP 90 each.

PHOTO CREDITS
http://www.virginmedia.com/images/cheese_mites430x300.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y155/mongit/For%20My%20Blog/September%202007/Kenny%20Rogers/IMG_3855.jpg

Top 10 Experiences to be had in Kuala Lumpur (Part 1)

Flying with Cebu Pacific, my husband and I arrived at our hotel in Kuala Lumpur at around 2 am on the 21st of April. We left for Manila at midnight going into the 25th. So really, we had, give or take, 4 full days to enjoy the city. Among our trips in Asia, I would have to say that this is the shortest trip that we've ever had. We're usually used to exploring a new city for at least five full days. But due to work and other commitments, we had to make do with the four days we had allotted at KL.

We did have an itinerary for this trip but I can't help but feel like we really haven't seen everything that there is to see in KL. There were at least five other places that I wanted to visit but didn't have the time to. I'll share this list in another blog entry.

Among all the places that we have been to though, let me share with you my Top 10 experiences in KL. I'll be dividing this into 2 entries because I'll be adding tips and suggestions too to help you maximize each experience. I imagine it will be quite lengthy so please bear with me.

Jojo and I had a grand time in Kuala Lumpur, overall. And here are the experiences I enjoyed the most: ;-)

10.) Tickle your tastebuds with Nando's Chicken.

I know for a fact that if this was my husband's list, he would actually place this experience as his #1 and most favorite! I'm telling you, eversince we got back, my husband has craved for their food non-stop! He says that our local Max's Chicken, Savory, Andok's, and Kenny Rogers has got nothing on the way the Nando's franchise does their chicken. Yes it's a bit "unpatriotic." But I don't want to be a hypocrite. I actually think I'll have to agree on this one. ;-)

As you know, on our trips, we have made it a rule not to eat more than once at the same restaurant. We broke that rule when we ate at Pho 2000 in HCMC though. And this time in KL, we broke it again. We ate at Nando's Chicken twice. If we were there longer, I think Jojo would have begged me to eat there the third, fourth and fifth time too! ;-)

Nando's makes their chicken peri-peri style. That is, roasted first, then placed in a spit-fire oven while marinated and combined with bird's eye chilli, spices, and a mixture of sauces. The chicken has a very full flavor. There is a bit of spiciness to it to give you that pleasant zing. The chicken is very tender and every bit of it is tasty. You would think that the marinade would not likely reach the inner white meat. But it does and it's just a burst of flavor for every bite! ;-)

Aside from chicken, Nando's also serves various salads, burgers, wraps, and even pasta. But when we were there on two occasions, we only went for their peri-peri chicken combos. That is, a quarter peri-peri style chicken with 2 sidelines of your choice. You can choose your chicken to be lemon and herb, mild/even hot, or going all out with VERY hot. Being a sissy, I went with the lemon and herb one, accompanied with Fresco salad and Meditteranean rice. (RM 14.95/PhP210) Jojo got mild/even hot chicken along with Mediterranean rice as well (it was the only choice for the rice) and Peri cob. We found our "sideline" orders to be okay. They weren't too bad. Kenny Roger's side dishes are a bit tastier but they're not bad at all. If anything, it just reminds us that the peri-peri chicken is the real "star" here. ;-) My lemon and herb chicken had a tiny bit of zing. Just hints of spicyness. Jojo's mild hot one was a bit stronger. But it's not too too spicy that you'll have to reach for a glass of water. It's all bearable and the less tastier sidelines complemented it well, I thought.

For our second time around, Jojo went for the 1/2 chicken with two sidelines. (RM 23.90/PhP335) He knew that it was going to be the last time for a very long time that he'll have Nando's chicken again so he decided to have a feast with this one. ;-) And man, did he ever! His sidelines consisted of TWO cups of Meditteranean rice. And nothing else. ;-) I got the mild hot one this time (quarter chicken) but changed one of my sideline to their Peri chips with creamy peri dip. I thought this was an even more perfect combination than the last time. I absolutely loved their peri chips (fries) with that creamy dip! And choosing to go with mild hot this time went better with the sauces, I thought. There are four sauces on each table that you can pile on to your chicken to give it even more flavor. I can't remember what they are but having tried them all, I liked the Garlic peri-peri best to go with the mild hot chicken. Verrrry yummy.

It's important to note that Nando's Chicken is not a franchise that's exclusive only to Malaysia. Yes, it's pretty popular there. But Nando's is scattered everywhere. They have it in Australia, Canada, the United States, and even as far as Namibia and Fiji! Maybe we'll have it soon here in the Philippines! ;-) Anyway, we had our Nando's chicken at the basement of Pavilion Mall and somewhere near Petaling Street in Chinatown. You can have a look at where else you can find Nando's Chicken HERE. The Malaysian menu can be found HERE too.

9.) Go souvenir shopping and fulfill your Chinese food craving at Petaling Street.

One word to describe Petaling Street would be "vibrant." It's not that huge of a place. Maybe six blocks altogether? But there's a lot happening given that you visit the area in the evening. Merchants start setting up their stalls at 5 pm. There's hawker fare here and restaurants that extend to the street! It's a place to just unwind and cool off with a beer or something.

And if knock-offs are your thing, there's a lot of imitation bags, clothes, shoes, watches, and what-have-you. There are a few knock-offs there that we won't be able to find at Greenhills. For instance, they had imitation Onitsuka Tiger shoes there. Petaling Street is also the best place to go for souvenirs. Kuala Lumpur shirts go for RM 3 (PhP 42.10). The miniature Petronas Towers made of pewter cost around RM 15 (PhP 210). Most of the prices of these souvenirs are fixed. You won't have to haggle since all the stalls sell them for the same price.

From the itinerary that I made, I listed two places that I wanted to go to along Petaling Street. One is Hartz Chicken Restaurant -- famous for their buffet and the other, Purple Cane Teahouse -- famous for their tea selection and tea sets, of course. We started looking for them but we were just too tired so we gave up after an hour. And after seeing another Nando's Chicken Restaurant there, my husband had decided that we were going to stop looking and eat there instead. ;-) If you go to Petaling Street, you might want to check out these two places. I've come across this website found HERE that raved about Purple Cane Tea House. The Pinoy Exchange and Female Network forums also talked and raved about Hartz Chicken Buffet. It might be worth a try to enjoy your visit in Petaling Street even more. ;-)

8.) Get a foot massage along Jalan Bukit Bintang while being part of all the action.

Jalan Bukit Bintang is a very busy street. Across from our hotel and also to the left and right of it are rows and rows of these massage places. They do it "Shenzhen-style" -- like the ones you'll find in Lowu Mall. They've got a whole line of these reclined massage chairs from the entrance (an open glass door) down to the back of the shop. Since the door is open, you can see what's going on in the sidewalk and the street in front of you while you get your massage. We sat near the front door and with the whole lot of people on the sidewalk, it felt like we had an audience! ;-) See the three men just standing there? ;-)

After a full day of walking and shopping, we totally needed a foot massage. It wasn't hard to choose which one to go with for the massage. We just looked at the one with the most number of people and off we went! ;-) On that Thursday night, we went with Bao Jian Reflexology -- conveniently located right across our hotel! Feeling a bit awkward to have a full body massage with all these people around us, we only went for the 60-minute foot reflexology (RM 50/PhP 703). Compared to the massage places here in Manila, it is very pricey. But during the time we were there, we completely needed it and the experience was just priceless. Jalan Bukit Bintang was abuzz with activity. You get a good sense of their culture by just watching them and taking in all the sights and sounds of this busy street. It was the perfect time and place to be to see all of these. Oh and I'd have to say, the massage was spectacular too! Jeff was my massage therapist and he was gentle with my feet. He applied the right amount of pressure for me. Jojo said that at first, the massage was a bit too hard. He didn't say a word. And after a few minutes, everything just started to feel wonderful! I guess he had a lot of knots and what-not that needed to be smoothened out. In the end, we were both very happy campers! ;-)

7.) Spend half the day shopping at Ikea for all your home needs!

On our trips to Singapore and Hongkong, we never fail to visit Ikea. I absolutely love this store! We have bits and pieces of Ikea products at Mobler, Dimensione, and other stores here in Manila. But nothing beats going to the real Ikea store -- and the biggest one in Asia, at that!

The Ikea store in KL is in the Petaling Jaya area. It is a bit far from the Golden Triangle but trust me, it will be worth your time. Because after you go to Ikea, you can just cross the street to go to The Curve. It's a shopping complex kind of similar to our Eastwood Mall.

Anyway, here's how to get there from the Bukit Bintang station on KL monorail:
1.) Get off at Bukit Nanas on the KL monorail (2 stops away from Bukit Bintang).
2.) Transfer to the Putra line at the Bukit Nanas station. To transfer to this train, you actually have to leave the station. Go down the stairs into the sidewalk and walk west (go straight on your left). It's about a 3-minute walk. Go up the walkway to cross to the other side. You'll find the Putra train when you go down the escalators further ahead.
3.) Get on the Putra train going to Kelana Jaya. It's about 11 stops away and roughly, a 45-minute ride.
4.) Get off at the Kelana Jaya station and go on the walkway to cross the street. There's a bus terminal there. Wait for the free shuttle going to IKANO Power Center. It arrives at set times: 9 am, 10 am, 11:30 am, 1 pm, and 3 pm. The trip will be 5-10 minutes and the shuttle will drop you off right in front of Ikea.

You can take the shuttle going back to the station when you're done. You'll find the shuttle in the same area where you get off. Just make sure you're there at least 5 minutes before the scheduled time as it gets really packed. The bus leaves from Ikea at 11 am, 12:30 pm, 2:30 pm, 4 pm, 5 pm, and 6:30 pm.

Now that that's out of the way, I'm excited to share with you all of my purchases at Ikea. But since there's a whole lot of it, I thought I'd devote a whole entry on our shopping finds in KL alone! ;-) I'm sorry for this but I give you my word that I'll have that entry up within the week! ;-)

So what shouldn't you miss while in Ikea? Ooooh, where do I start? ;-) I absolutely LOVE the lamps and chandeliers in Ikea. Really, if only it would be easy to transport it, I would have gotten three of the lamp shades below for our dining area. My favorite among the lot is the one with the street scene of Hongkong (?) on the fabric. They have the coolest bedsheets too that are way cheaper than the ones that are sold at SM's Our Home. If you have kids or a number of children to buy presents for, you'll love the collection of toys, cool hampers, and lamps. They're all very playful, pretty, and sooo unique! We don't have a store or anything close to it that sells similar items. Everything in Ikea is beautiful and I'm sure it would be nearly impossible to NOT buy a whole cartload of stuff. If you're not one of self-control, avoid Ikea at all costs! ;-)

I have to mention that Ikea also has its own restaurant/cafeteria. We didn't have it when we were there. But I know for a fact that their Swedish Meatballs should not be missed. They also have these hazelnut and dark chocolate bars that will serve as excellent pasalubong. They're very creamy and just addictive!

In this complex, you shouldn't miss going across the street to The Curve. They have a large Padini Store (or VNC as it's known here) that sells their shoes 40% less than the ones here in Manila. I'm not sure if they have it everyday but when we were there on a Saturday, there was also a row of tiangge stalls in front of the restaurants. They mostly sold accessories, clothes, and a few other knick knacks. There are a number of neat restaurants in this shopping complex too. Such is this beautiful English-garden type restaurant seen in the picture below. They have bookstores here, more clothing stores, a grocery store, gadget stalls, and many others. With so much to see (and buy!) here, it would be wise to put aside at least 5 hours exploring this area. ;-)

6.) Brave the 272 steps leading up to the Batu Caves with a few "furry" friends.

If you're going to Genting Highlands, I think it would be wise to plan your trip to Batu Caves on the same day too. Putra Gombak is one of the terminals (also a train station) where you can catch a bus that takes you to Genting. That same terminal is also just ten minutes away from the Batu Caves. In this case, I think it would be much more convenient to take a taxi to the Batu Caves. Now it's important to note that a lot of these taxi drivers prefer not to use their meters. They usually try to arrange something with you so they can charge more. Just make sure that you're only paying RM 10-15 per way otherwise you're being ripped off.

The buses that go to Genting are on a schedule. We just made sure to allot about an hour and a half at the Batu Caves. That already includes the 20-25 minute total travel time. An hour at the Batu Caves should be enough. At least, that's enough time to get up the 272 steps, walk around the cave, take pictures, buy some souvenirs, and get down the steps to look for a taxi back. There is an Art Gallery and a small Museum Cave which we didn't have time to visit though. If you want to see these, you might want to allot an extra 40 minutes.

So why is visiting the Batu Caves a memorable experience for me? Well, first off, it's a very spiritual and sacred place. You get a sense of that when you get inside the cave. It's very interesting to see the rituals done by the Hindus while in prayer. You can tell that they're very deeply-rooted. And being near the mountains, on a limestone cave and 100 metres above ground also adds to that whole sense of mysticism.

There are lots of photo ops to be had here. Make sure you have your camera ready because you're going to get THIS close to a few furry friends while going up and down those steps. ;-) We didn't see it happen when we were there, but these monkeys are very playful and tend to sneakily "steal" things from tourists they say. ;-)

At the foot of the steps, there's a whole lot of pigeons too. They all settle on the pavement for a while and fly off together in huge flocks. Just be careful you're not pooped on, but otherwise, I think this will make an interesting photo-op. ;-)

NANDO'S CHICKEN
-Lot 1.29.04, Pavilion KL, Bukit Bintang
- No. 123, Jalan Sultan (Chinatown)

BAO JIAN REFLEXOLOGY
64 Jalan Bukit Bintang

CHINATOWN
Petaling Street, KL

IKEA
No. 2 Jalan PJU 7/2, Mutiara Damansara
47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Darul Ehsan

BATU CAVES
Sri Subramaniam Temple, KL