Ah dim sum. One of my indulgences when For congee, drinking tea as if I'm wiser than I look, fried foods, and using chopsticks in general. Jin Xuan probably needs no introduction to the dim sum eaters of Malaysia. Being one of the very few places to open from early mornings (7 a.m) till late (11:30 p.m), Jin Xuan is planning nationwide domination (probably) by popping up everywhere like Mushrooms. The 2 branches in Damasara SS 21 and SS22 to open within an approximate 2 km radius from each other itself is a feat.

However, famous might not mean good. The SS21 branch (can't judge all branches equally now can we?) had ha gao (蝦餃 - prawn dumplings), a must order in every dim sum eatery, that is unless you're allergic, had skin that tasted powdery, thick, and broke pretty easily, which usually indicates too much water in the water to flour ratio and with this dish only consisting of 2 items, you could say the skin plays a pretty big role.

The siew mai (燒賣) was dente and tightly packed together but didn't taste impressive. The chicken feet, also called "phoenix claws" (鳳爪）came out black and sad-looking, probably due to being there since the day the earth was formed and the rice sheets, cheong fun (腸粉）wasn't sticky and the prawns in it tasted dente.

Fried items at this branch is limited and none of them appealing or hot.

Of course I don't expect Jin Xuan to taste perfect, it would cost way more than it does otherwise perhaps. But just saying that famous probably does not mean it's good all the time.

Jin Xuan is a place for you to hang out, get dim sum with your family and have a cup of tea. Expecting really good dim sum? Meh, try somewhere else.

Han Woo Ri (한우리) shows little fame compared to the big bad sister Daore (다오래 - let all come) and of course, isn't as flashy as well ( read: bling bling lights). The place itself is also pretty quiet and you're greeted with attentive staff that tells you welcome in Korean and Thank you when you leave. Gimmicky, but meh, you can see the effort.

The place serves BBQ as well as individual dishes like bibimbap, jiggaes and other soupy stewy dishes. We (yes we) ordered some yang nyeom mok sal which is neck meat that is marinated in their god knows what yang nyeom sauce, norma bbq meat as well as kimchi jiggae (korean friend had to eat all these before she went back to aussie cause it's expensive there) and had gyelan-jjim (steamed egg - picture) as a complimentary dish. The side dishes were well made with the kimchi being pretty good.

The kimchi jiggae used well fermented kimchi, had tofu and meat in it which made it sour enough and had a good rich, flavourful broth base. Yes your kimchi has to be well fermented for that sour taste and in Korean stew cooking, it's all about the broth - good broth means good jiggae. And the steamed egg was well seasoned and topped with sesame oil and seeds which gave it a nice fragrance and taste. End with my beloved shikhye - a korean drink that is similiar to barley water here in Malaysia- to quench the fire.

All in all Han Woo Ri might not be as flashy as other Korean restaurants. But the food does speak for itself. Not the best out there, but it's pretty good for the Subang area.

빙수 (BingSu), Korea's favourite summer time treat, seems to be taking Malaysia by storm with places serving bingsu left right and centre as Koreans get a fix of their hometown love while people like js jisy flock at the concept of a different type of ice kacang which probably costs thrice the price of a normal ice kacang.

Bingsu, meaning "ice water" literally, is Korea's version of an ice kacang with the common one being patbingsu (핕빙수) which means red bean shaved ice.... which is what ice kacang is... of course Bingsu's nowadays come with a lot of flavours, with the current famous on in Korea being the iljeomi bingsu (일절미 빙수) since it's topped with multi grain powder, it appeals to the Korean market that craves for a "healthy dessert" or just like the taste in general. Another famoua on in Korea right now is of course, 망고 빙수 (mango bingsu) that focuses on... you guessed it - mango, since Mango is freaking expensive in Korea.

Bingsu cafe has been buzzing in the depths of my conciousness for quite some time. So when my Korean friend who came back from Australia for a visit told me she wanted bing su, the gates of the heavens rained upon me with an opportunity.

The place itself was of course nice. Simplistic setting but with bright vibrant colors makes the color loving minimlist in my nod in approval. Wifi is available on both floors of the shop as well.

First up of course as we would have it, everything was out of stock. Ok fine well not everything. My favourtie iljeolmi and mango were out. Strawberry were out and basically the good ones were out of stock. So looking at what else we had left to choose from, we ordered a Triple Berry Bingsu (RM 17.90).

Now despite how fancy and how new a Bingsu is, they always must have a few items which are essentials. It's like how you can't do ice kacanf without sirap bandung and evaporated milk. Similiarly, bingsu's have those items that make them essential as well such as ice cream on top, rice cakes, and of course, snow-like shaved ice that's fluffy and melts in your mouth. Some variations in korea that are common come with biscuits, wafer sticks, pockey's and condensed milk. Basically to make it the ultimate dessert.

The one im Bingsu cafe was far from ideal. It was mainly berries with flavoured ice and a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. Nothing else. Nothing to shout about. The bingsu in the KFC in korea did a better job and it cost less. It had nothing. It didn't have the rice cakes I loved so much. Sweet milk by the side, no cornflakes, nothing for a crunch factor, nothing.

If you think I'm being picky. My Korean friend (aha! See! I brought someone for credibility!) Just stared at me and said she probably could make a better one and it lacked many things.

So with that said, I guess the 100 yen shop shaved ice would probably be more worth it... and would cost less.

After Black doesn't come to me as a place I would go to willingly. I don't like the food. Sauce tastes canned, food tastes ok but not worth the hype and I don't really get all the hype about it except shiny lights and pretty decor.

I did try to give it another go a few weeks ago and I was again brought back to why I never would go back unless After Black was the only shop open.

And that appears to be tonight. But it wasn't for food. In lieu of finals being done with, I am now blessed with a screwed up biological clock that makes me wake up at 7 pm with cake cravings at 10 pm. Sadly not many shops open till this late. I tried Garage 51 (never been there) but their cale selection seemed as depressing as the money exchange rate in Malaysia and so to After Black I went... with expectations so low that even Maggie Mee would make me happier.

Of course I have no idea if it was the low expectations or the fact that I really wanted cake. But this night After Blacks Double Chchocolate Mille Crepe (RM 10.90) was something O quite liked. It is neither too sweet or creamy, something I deal with most mille crepes with their overwhelming cream ratio. And they used dark chocolate so the sweetness was toned down but with the richness of chocolate.

The Tiramisu (RM 9.90) was ok. Nothing much to remember by except the nuts at the side tasted a little burnt. Cheese is relatively light in texture and wasn't too heavy.

So it seems while After Black's food leaves me not too impressed, their cakes seem pretty ok. ALL places selling cakes should close at 11 p.m.! THEY SHOULD!

Nihonkai is located in Mentari right opposite Sunway Pyramid serving Japanese food. The outlet marks the second outlet, managed by the big boss' younger sister with a new branch recently opening in Kota Kemuning (which I heard, has gotten less than positive reviews.)

Chirashizushi (Jo) came at a price of RM 58.00 and mixed sahsimi (jo) at RM 58.00 came in a boat with dry ice. Props for presentation there. Salmon and maguro sashimi tasted alright while the shiro maguro (white tuna) tasted frozen. Then again, with white tuna in Malaysia, I've never had non-frozen white tuna before :( if you do, hit me up! Portions do come larger in size than Sushi Zanmai with set dinners mostly priced below RM 30.

Booking might be required if it's during the festivities or the weekends since this place is pretty small.

So if you're in the Sunway area and you're sick of the commercial Sushi Zanmai and Sakae Sushi and such, try this for a change.

So while I do like recommending places to have good food (and bad food), I also like to talk ABOUT food. Hence with my late arrival to the beauty of Chirashizushi, I'll just put this post out there.

Chirashizushi ( ちらし寿司) basiclly means scattered sushi and it's quite easy to see why. If you like sashimi and nigiri sushi, Chirashizushi is like a dream come true in a the form of mixed rice. What it is is basically vinegared rice (sushi rice) topped with... well... stuff.... the general rule is that the Kanto region (eg Tokyo) uses raw fish while the Kansai region uses vegetables and omelettes as a base (called Barasushi). Of course that is just a brief separation and different cities will have different styles. For example Osaka (kansai) styled barasushi has eel and root vegetables as well and even within the Kanto region, some use raw fish, some use octopus and the sorts. Also, not all Chirashizushi looks the same. Some have large pieces of raw meat while some are like mine. Once again, it's something that relies heavily on style. Kinda like how kimchi in different restaurants taste differently.

Granted, if you are a fan of nigiri sushi or sashimi, I suggest you give this a try. I, for one am hooked to this particular style as it gives me a bite of raw fish and vinegared rice in every bite. It actually is a really good rice to raw meat ratio.

And because it's my birthday, today's post is weird hahahaha

I forgot what this is. Well at least I only forgot the name. So in a nutshell it's a tiramisu with cognac (RM 18.90 if memory serves me right) with caramelized nuts on top. I can't say much since I'm momentarily stunned by this new texture if tiramisu. It's not bad (come on, it's alcohol!), it's good (read: alcohol), but I'm just trying to wrap my head around this texture. The cake isn't your typical sponge cake, it has much more air in them and feels like steamed cakes almost. The marscapone cheese is also, not overly dense like most tiramisu, but instead which rich in flavor is light in texture. And of course you have the nuts. Crunchy and giving a hint of sweetness to the entire alcohol-induced-cheese-complementing slice, pair it with the slightly tangy strawberry jam by the side and you'll be experiencing how the whole thing comes together quite nicely.

Nirwana banana leaf rice in Bangsar is probably a brand name among banana leaf rice. Especially if you're in Bangsar. Sides of squid and mutton and everything you see in the picture (mango lassi by the side) comes at RM 50 in total. The curry was meh, but their deep fried bitter gourd was like chips that made me feel healthy. Achar doesn't seem like something everyone could get used to and the sides were ok. No seriously... I need to know what their bitter gourd recipe is!!!

I'm a pasta snob. I get it. Underseasoned pasta, not al dente, you didn't twirl the pasta, you didn't do a pan tossing motion, your pasta isn't shining like the sun in Teletubbies. Yes I'm a pasta snob.

JoshiJosh Kantin is a new food court, booth (1 week old at the time of writing) , place thing in Sunway University's New Building Cafeteria. Then again, it is of legend spoken by many that cafeteria food is never delicious. But as JoshiJosh Kantin was opened by someone who my brother says "makes the best aglio olio", hell I needed to try it!

Before I even get into the food, let's talk about something not food. It took me a 25 minute wait for my pasta. Nevermind it was served on a metal plate that is hot if you don't bring it to your table fast enough. It took me a 25 minute wait.

The Thai Basil Olio (RM 8 - promotion price), granted was not made by the man himself, and is cheap, while doesn't call for much, I didn't expect basics to go out the window.

Overcooked pasta, overdosed pepper, and basil? Maybe it's still in Thailand.

While it might be that it's only RM 8 and I shouldn't expect much, I was at least expecting bare basics. Even if it wasn't cooked by the man himself I expected a sort of recipe or guide to follow.

Let's not even talk about how I think their menu is waaaayyyy too big and extensive for such a small kitchen, how disorganized they looked and how while my number was 63, I watched a number 78 order walk past me.

So JoshiJosh, the name might be cute, but lettig a lady wait 25 minutes for a subpar pasta is not.

Pesto calls for basil, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper and cheese as the basic of basics. Oh and let's not forger pine nuts. But fear not my nut allergic comrades! The pesto chicken pasta with a long fancy french name from Yeast Bistro is nut-less!

Opened by a French married to a Malaysian Chinese, Yeast has been around for a very long time and is famous mostly for their pastries. Yes all you Yeast tart fanatics, I hear you.

Expect your menu to have intimidating sounding French names with lots of é,ê,â and the such and if you're like me, you'll save yourself the effort and just point at the damn thing.

The pesto chicken pasta (I'll just call it that cause the name of the dish was so long my short term memory went into shock) was priced at RM 37 pre-GST (no 10% service charge) and came in a reasonable portion. Pasta was not al dente (apparently some customers complained that it was undercooked) which is how I like my pasta and not seasoned enough. It was ok. A little lacking in flavour, not something Over Dosing on table salt and pepper cannot fix. Chicken was nicely flavoured tho. But why would you season they would season their chicken nicely and underseason their pasta is beyond me.

It wasn't bad. But meh, how wrong can you go with a pesto pasta anyway?...ok maybe I don't want an answer for that.

"Size does matter" is what they say. And the people at Streaky Hot Dogs do take it very seriously if you take a look at their wieners...I mean sausages.

Looking relatively new in the midst to "to let"s and "for sales", the place is minimalistic with funky art on the walls. Painted as well as hung canvases. Minimal menu with only pork sausages (bockwurst - smooth texture on the inside with a chewy skin. Think a balloon of meat in the shape of a sausage, if you've bought German sausages with the soft smooth creamy meat textures, this is it; and bratwurst - coarser meat texture) and chicken (chicken bockwurst). No beef sausages are on the menu as of yet but they are apparently working on it. Apparently.

Weird combinations with equally cute names such as Samurai, Shroom, Wasabi, Humpty Dumpty are available with different combinations on toppings. Or if you like the down to basics stuff, go for a Naked Dog (RM 10.90) which is a "plain basic hotdog" as they say.

Top ups are available to turn your hot dogs into sets:
Set 1- add on RM 6 for fries and bottomless drinks
Set 2- add on RM 10 for chilli fries and bottomless drinks
Set 3- add on RM 12 for chilli cheese fries and bottomless drinks

The set 3 combo with my Samurai (japanese cucumber, crispy tofu pok, bacon bits, mentaiko sauce - from the menu) hotdog came to RM 27.90 with no GST and service charge.

Food comes a little slow but if you have friends I guess you might not really notice it. The chilli cheese fries were really sweet. Yes not as sweet as you but it was sweet. And not really the kind that made me happy despite my love for cakes and sweets. The amount of cheese on the fries were like pencil shavings when I sit for my English paper. And I use a pen for my English paper. Come on, Carl's Jr puts more cheese than that! Granted I know that mozzarella is pretty expensive. Sharp cheddar then! Or mix it, I don't know. The rule when it comes to cheese - you go big or you go home.

The hotdog itself was another story. Now if you always wanted to know how it felt like to almost break your jaw. Or if you want to - for some odd reason- attempt to break your jaw, may I suggest you to do it by eating this gigantic huge hot dog with a hard 50 cent (old coin) wide wiener. Sausage. The bread plus bun plus toppings, is almost hard to get everything in one bite while looking like the gentle and graceful lady I usually am. Instead I was back to being a snotty nosed brat who picked apart her burger. Really tho, it's HUGE. And the thing about hot dogs is, it's the best when eating it all together. Do you pick apart your sandwhich? No? Exactly! Do you pick apart your burger? Yes? What are you doing with your life? Things like these are meant to be eaten in a bite and if you can't I don't see how a big thick sausage will make any difference.

The toppings were barely of any significance. Eaten separately, the mentaiko sauce was more towards mayo...and more mayo while the tofu and bacon did give a crunch, it didn't contribute to the flavour. Eaten together the taste of the sausage just overwhelms everhthing and make the things like tofu pok and cucumber disappear into the background like a forgotten boy band. The bread was soft. It was soft.

So yes, while size does matter. What is important is ultimately the skill...of putting together a harmonious hot dog. Big doesn't mean better. Unless it's a competition of whose is bigger.

It's 12 a.m., and here I am contemplating about life... or cake I had just now.

Espresso and Single Origin is a cafe that has been open for 3 weeks at the time of writing. And while I don't know the meaning behind the name, I can tell you having a date here will probably make you single the next day. At least I would end it if you told me to come back here twice. Maybe it's where people turn single. Where singles orginate. Single. Origin.

Enter the Dark-Cafe-thingy-cake-which-it's-name-I-cannot-recall, picture for reference (RM 13.50). I have a soft spot for Secret Recipe's Chocolate Indulgence (yes judge me all you want you cake snobs. I eat at Secret Recipe too!) And this tasted like it. Taste-wise. Texture wise is another story. The cake was dry, the "mousse" (I assume it should be mousse) was too dense and had the texture if creamy tofu. Go on, whip up some cream, refrigerate it. The contrast in textures just didn't work for me. It didn't feel like a cake. It felt like a multi-layered pudding. And the name, I remember them saying while the name had espressor in it, the dark chocolate's taste would cover it so the coffee taste would be barely there. If by dark chocolate you mean 3% cocoa dark chocolate that is. Barely was there any bitterness associated with dark chocolate, and the ganache tasted like anything but dark chocolate.

The Le' Royale (uh... I think I got this right) was described as tasting like ferrero rocher. I guess it would sound better than saying it tasted like Nutella. It did slightly taste like it with even the crunch that I associate with the famous chocolate's wafer inside. It wasn't bad but something still felt off. Perhps the creamy layer was pretty dense as well.

So dense that you wouldn't know the girl you brought here had a crush on you. And so you continue to be single.