The Best Of Tokyo - Ramen

I love a bowl of steaming hot ramen noodles. Apart from the springy ramen noodles, crisp fried garlic slices and sliced roast pork served in creamy white miso soup, I love the Japanese hard-boiled egg, with its bright orange yolk. Here are 2 places which I found for good ramen in Tokyo. The first ramen shop which came recommended by the Lonely Planet is called Komen. It has a chain of 12 ramen shops in Tokyo. For non-Japanese speakers, look out for the 2 Japanese words encased in a large circle above the shop. I went to the Komen in Shinjuku (3-32-2, Shinjuku-ku, corner of Meiji-Dori and Koshu Kaido). This two storey ramen shop is big by ramen shop standards. They also have a branch in Harajuku.


Komen Ramen at Shinjuku


Big pots of stock for the ramen soup


Ramen with roast pork and white miso soup set - 990 yen

I stumbled onto the second ramen shop quite by accident. We were window shopping on the busy streets of Harajuku when this sign caught our attention. Walk down the stairs to a cosy little basement shop. Unfortunately, I don't know what the English name is but this shop is further down the street from the Lotteria at Takeshita Dori. The ramen is served in a stone bowl, which keeps it piping hot. In summer, the cold ramen is also quite popular. Personally, I found the ramen at this shop better than Komen.





Sigh...I wish I was back in Japan!

"We are noodle folk. Broth runs through our veins."
Mr. Ping, Kung Fu Panda (2008)

Italian cuisine at Il Padrino Restaurant

J & I are always on the lookout for good Italian food in Kuala Lumpur. Having lived in Bangkok for almost 2 years, we've been spoilt by the wonderful selection of hams and sausages served at our favourite Italian restaurants there. When we came across a review on Il Padrino, we knew we had to check it out because it actually serves Parma Ham (or Prosciutto di Parma), thinly sliced dry-cured ham, a rare treat in Malaysia since most Italian restaurants are halal.

Since we were there to celebrate a special occassion, we decided to splurge and go for the full works, starting with the appetizer "Antipasto Misto Il Padrino, a platter consisting of Bresaola (air drief beef), Tomato Buffalo Mozzarella, Calamari, Parma Ham with Melon and Grilled Vegetables. The menu states that the portions are for two people but if you intend to order one main each, you can request for a half portion, which is a great way to taste a little bit of everything. What a wonderful way to start off the meal. The Bresaola was so tender it literally melts in your mouth. The slightly salty parma ham was balanced beautifully by the sweetness of the melon. The plum tomatoes complimented the mozzarella whilst the calamari and grilled vegetables added a warm touch to the cold appetizers.


For the mains, we opted for the Pizza Il Padrino (comprising parma ham, tomato slices, buffallo mozzarella cheese and rocket salad served on a thin crust pizza) and Costolette Di Agnello Scottatido (Grilled rack of lamb served with roasted capsicum, potato and rosemary garlic sauce). I had high expectations for the parma ham pizza as it's been a year since I've last eaten it in Bangkok. Whilst it did fulfill my craving for parma ham pizza, I have to confess that I was a little disappointed at the amount of parma ham on my pizza. I also didn't quite enjoy the rocket salad on my pizza and would have prefered basil instead.


The grilled rack of lamb was a winner in our books. Cooked to medium well, it was beautifully browned on the outside and was a lovely shade of pinky red on the inside. Because it was medium well, the meat was juicy and tender.


At this stage, we were already quite full but could not resist the classical Italian dessert, tiramisu. Not only was it a treat to look at, but it was a sweet finish to a very satisfying meal.


The Il Padrino is definitely worth a second visit. Next time, we hope to come with a bigger group so that we can try a greater selection of food. Service is attentive and its Godfather-themed ambience is welcoming. We'll be back.


Il Padrino Italian Restaurant & Bar
50-G-A, Ground Floor
Wisma UOA Damansara
No. 50, Jalan Dungun, Damansara Heights, KL
Tel: 603-20938596

Lake George - Southern Adirondacks

Lake George greeted our arrival with summer sunshine and dreamy cloud-dotted blue skies. The 32-mile long lake is a hub of activity filled with sightseeing cruise boats, kayakers, swimmers and picnickers all out for some fun in the sun. It's definitely a tourist hot spot with no shortage of accomodation, eating and activity options.It was fun strolling down the streets in town and checking out the colourful shops selling souveniers, t-shirts, ice creams, handicrafts, etc. We managed to find a little china porcelain dog to add to our beagle collection.






But it soon became too hot to be outdoors. To escape the afternoon heat, we headed out to the factory outlets on State Route 9, not too far out of town. At this stage, I've lost count of the number of factory outlets I've visited in the state of New York. Let's see, first there was Century 21, then Woodbury, Niagara, Waterloo and now Lake George! Talk about shopper's haven - we'll worry about the credit card bill later...

That night, we decided to skip the tourist restaurants and opted for a local favourite which is off the main tourist streets. The East Cove restaurant is a cosy log cabin which serves great food.


We definitely stood out at the almost full restaurant, as we were not only the only tourists, but also the only Asians. At this stage of our trip, we were pretty used to it. Outside of New York City and Woodbury, we had only seen 1 other Asian family during our road trip around New York State. The contrast hits you on the face, especially since New York City is a giant melting pot of diverse cultures and skin colours. Anyway, because we "stood out", we drew the attention of a couple sitted near us, the Reicherts. They were curious as to how we knew about the East Cove since it was out of the tourist belt. Again, we had to thank Frommers - our New York guide book pages were dog-eared at this stage of our journey. The Reicherts are a lovely couple and we enjoyed our short conversation with them until our dinner arrived. What a dinner it was - Maine lobsters and grilled pork chop. Yummm....



Later, we popped by the supermarket to buy a tub of Ben and Jerry's for dessert. This was our second ice-cream for the entire trip as we were both down with a cough earlier. Sadly, it would be the last ice cream in New York as our road trip had come to an end. The next day, we headed back to New York City for 1 last night before we caught a flight back home. In direct contrast to the day before, and in matching with our mood, the weather was gloomy as the drizzle bade us farewell.

Adirondack - Back to Nature

The Adirondack, located north of New York State is an outdoor lover's playground. You can go hiking, moutain biking, boating (of all shapes and sizes), fishing in this 600 million acre forest filled with peaks, lakes, ponds, rivers and streams. Given our limited time on our New York trip, we could only spend 3 days. So we focused on the Southern Adirondack towns of Old Forge and Lake George.

In summer, Old Forge is extremely popular with families simply because there is so much to do. Bear that in mind when you choose your accomodation. We stayed at the Water's Edge Inn, which is located opposite the Enchanted Forest/Water Inn. So, there were lots of teenagers and children, which also translates to little peace and quiet.

We rented some mountain bikes and armed with a map of the area, set off on a bike ride around Inlet. It was a sunny day and once we were off the highway and in the trails, it was beautiful. We were disappointed that we were not able to cycle by the lakes as these were private property. So, we had to content ourselves sticking to the forest trails.

J, being the more adventurous type decided to attempt the uphill narrow track Vista Trail.




I was happy to stick with my wide and flat trail.


That night, we both agreed that we should treat ourselves to a nice dinner after our 20 miles ride. Based on Frommer's recommendation, we headed to the Seventh Lake House. If it weren't for our travel guide book, we would have driven past the restaurant located between Inlet and Raquette Lake and missed it altogether. As you can see by the number of cars parked outside, this was a popular dinner venue because the food is fantastic.


After burning all that calories earlier that day, we loaded up on protein with our orders of steak and lamb chop. Both meals were cooked to perfection. We couldn't ask for more.


After dinner, we caught a beautiful sunset at Raquette Lake. Now this is what life is about!

Niagara Falls - Romantic getaway

Niagara Falls - Close up view from Maid of the Mist
Did you know that Napoleon Bonaparte's younger brother, Jerome had his honeymoon in Niagara Falls in the early 19th century? Since then, this magnificent falls remains a favourite wedding and honeymoon spot.

J & I were thrilled that we would finally get a chance to visit this magnificent falls. My New York friend said that Niagara Falls was too commercialized. I suppose it's true to a certain extent. However, I felt that one person's experience very much depends on where one stays. And I couldn't have picked a better spot than Hillcrest Inn. It is located on a quiet street, far enough from the "commercial" activities, yet, close enough to walk to the Falls. The hosts are friendly and down-to-earth and really made us feel like home, going the extra mile to provide little touches to make our stay memorable. My only regret is that we only stayed 1 night at this beautiful home.

The living room done in sophisticated grey and white

The cosy sun room

The romantic Hillcrest Suite


It was hard to tear ourselves from our gorgeous room but we only had 2 days and we did come to see the Niagara Falls. So, we took a leisurely walk by the Niagara River and headed downtown towards the Falls. It was amazing to see how fast the river flowed and hear the sound of the river as it rushed down to the Falls.
But nothing could prepare us for the sight at the end. We went up on the Observation Deck to get a full view of the mighty Niagara Falls,in all its glory and splendour - it took my breath away.


I wanted to get a close-up view of the Falls and the best way to do it is to go on the Maid of the Mist boat ride. It is incredible to experience the Falls so close. The boat took us the base of the American Falls and then to the basin of Horsehoe Falls. Bring along a waterproof camera, a sense of adventure and be prepared to get wet on this amazing boat ride. Don't worry, they provide a blue raincoat!

Little blue people queueing up in an orderly fashion to board the boat.

Can you spot the rainbow on the left?

We somehow managed to find a clear view for a couple shot (which is amazing considering the boat was full!)

The Observation Deck, the Canadian Maid of the Mist and a rainbow.

We couldn't get enough of the Falls so we headed to the Cave of the Winds for Round 2. We took a 175 feet elevator ride down to the Niagara Gorge. It was cold and damp. We then walked on the wooden walkway to the Hurricane Deck.

Hmm...seems mild enough from here. I wonder why they provided us sandals on top of the yellow raincoat?

Now I know why...The strong gusts of wind and wild sprays of water is enough to make a grown man shiver!

J standing bravely next to the Bridal Veil Falls


We had enough of drenching but still not enough of the Falls. So we headed to the Horseshoe Falls on Goat Island.


We also managed to see a fat beaver, totally oblivious to the Falls and the crowd.


And to top off a perfect day, we had dinner at the Top of the Falls Restaurant, enjoying the view of the Horseshoe Falls whilst having a delicious dinner of pork chop and New York Steak.

Valentine's Day at Rib Lee's

Aaah...Valentine's Day. A day to celebrate romance. Flowers, chocolates, cosy, candle-lit dinners for two. OK, back to reality. The truth is there's nothing romantic about paying exorbitant prices for flowers during Valentine's Day. Cosy, candle-lit dinners for two? In the last few years, we've tried going out to some fancy restaurants with "compulsory" Valentine's Day set menus. But, how romantic can it be when the next table is just a mere-10 inches away? We've also celebrated Valentine's Day home-style, which is nice, except that someone has to do the cooking (me)and washing up (J)!

So, this year, we organised a Valentine's dinner with a few friends, at one of our favourite restaurants, Rib Lee's located in Hartamas. Since J & I discovered this restaurant last October, we've been back 4 times because we absolutely love the food and the fact that this restaurant serves pork! The six of us were seated at the balcony. Despite my initial fears that it would be hot without air-conditioning, it turned out to be a cool evening and we all had a great time.

Whenever we come to Rib Lee's we always have a tough time deciding what to eat because we really enjoy the dishes we've tried and want to order it again. At the same time, we also want to try the other options in the menu. Tough...Choices and decisions. Rib Lee's had a Valentine's Day Menu but also gave us the option of ordering ala carte from their regular menu. We decided to opt for a mix of the the tried and tested - Roast Lamb with Rosemary, Bourboun Ribs. Olio with Pork Croutons and the new - Caesar Salad, Smoked Duck Salad with Orange Slices, Risotto with Bacon, Smoked Duck Breast. For dessert, we picked their Valentine's special Strawberry Parfait as well as the Mud Pie and the Triffle. It was the perfect ending to our meal.

Our friends, who were first-timers at the Rib Lee's were very satisfied and vowed to return with their families (after all, we were celebrating Valentine's Day...so it was an adults only affair that night). The only downside to the evening is that 1) the Caesar Salad was rather ordinary; and 2) the service was rather haphazard. Somehow our requests rarely got executed the way we asked. We could tell the staff tried their best.. Still, the rest of the food more than made up for it. We'll definitely be back again, and again, and again...

It may not have been a romantic night in a traditional sense, but it was definitely a night of celebration - Good food in the company of good friends. What more could a gal ask for?

Rib Lee's
No. 40-1 Wisma CKL (1st Floor)
Jalan 23/70A, Desa Sri Hartamas
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Tel: 03-6201 0180

Note: My other favourite which is a must-try at Rib Lee's is their Roasted Pork Knuckle. Yumm...

The Friends We Make In Our Journey...

Life is partly what we make it, and partly what it is made by the friends we choose. ~Tennessee Williams

When I was a kid, I remember one of the phrases we used often in school was "I don't want to friend you" whenever some kid offended us or didn't want to share something, or for whatever petty reasons. Of course, all was forgiven the next day, and we're best buddies again. As we grew up, we made friends at different stages of our lives. When we moved on to our next journey, some of these friendships drifted apart due to time and distance. Yet, for those moments when they were in our lives, they made a difference, be it temporary or permanent.

Then years later, we meet again. Last night was one of those special reunions. The four of us met at Cava, a Spanish restaurant located in Bangsar. With some friends, it feels like you've never been apart. Whilst we're not exactly the same people we were back when we first became friends (more gray hairs and a couple of pounds difference give and take - probably more give than take), deep down, we're not that different from who we were in high school, or college or university. And as Ralph Waldo Emerson so aptly puts it, "It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them." .

Over good food (the Tapas, Tenderloin and Osso Bucco are highly recommended) and a glass of Chilean wine, we reminisce and laugh about the good old days (was it really that long ago?)- of weekend volleyball games and bus rides, of spaghetti bolognaise and Hard Rock Cafe. Memories forgotten are brought back to mind. We celebrate a birthday with a Chocolate Dream - if you're a chocoholic like me, this should not be missed! ("Happy Belated Birthday A!"). Perhaps, even more importantly, we celebrate life and friendships!



A good friend is a connection to life - a tie to the past, a road to the future, the key to sanity in a totally insane world. ~Lois Wyse

Simply Red Bistro, Sheldrake Point, New York

New York City was exciting, but after a week, we were happy to leave the bustling city to explore the rest of New York State. We headed towards the lovely wine region of Finger Lakes. Our first stop - Ithaca, located on Lake Cayuga. Based on the glowing recommendation from our bed and breakfast hostess, we decided to drive to the Sheldrake Point, a winery in Ovid, about 20 minutes away from Ithaca to have our dinner at Simply Red Bistro. It was worth it. Apart from its great location by the lakeside, we had one of our best meals here during our New York trip.




We were there on a Monday night, which happens to be their Southern Night with live music. We were there early but the place was already packed. Fortunately, we managed to get a spot at the bar. Do make reservations if you plan to visit to avoid any disappointments.




J opted for the Country Style Pork Ribs whilst I had the Creole Seafood Jambalaya. The pork ribs were so flavourful and melts in your mouth. It was definitely better than the one we had in New York city! I've never tasted Jambalaya before and I was not disapppointed. The seafood- shrimps, scallops, mussels were so fresh. Cooked together with chorizo and wild rice in seafood stock, it was a meal to be had! The cornbread...Yummy!




We were really full after our main meals but we were told that the desserts were delicious and should not be missed. So, we ordered the Slow Ass Ginger Spice Apple Cake (which was highly recommended) and the Dark Chocolate Capuccino Mousse (I can't resist anything with dark chocolate). I'm glad we heeded the advice as the desserts were absolutely wonderful!



We really enjoyed our meal at the Simply Red. Not only did we meet talented Chef Sam Izzo (we were amazed at how young she was), we also enjoyed great conversation with the bartender and the gentleman we sat next to at the bar. Good food, great conversation - an unforgettable experience all round.

Simply Red Bistro
7448 Rte 153, Ovid, NY 14521
607 532 9401 ext 111