Pacific Coffee Opens New Outlet at Sunway Pyramid Shopping Mall

Another new place to refresh ourselves and hang out while shopping in Sunway Pyramid. Pacific Coffee once again has brought in another store located at Lower Ground Two floor of the mall.  With our signature aromatic coffee, you can unwind and put together a new interior design idea that combines creativity & lifestyle enjoyment at Pacific Coffee.

Glass and wood are the main elements for the interior design to blend freshness and elegance into the atmosphere, thus allowing patrons to savor coffee in a laid-back atmosphere which can be felt in the new coffeehouse’s seating. With Pacific Coffee’s brand promise in serving quality gourmet coffee, the store will bring a new lifestyle experience for Sunway Pyramid’s coffee–loving shoppers.

Here’s an another reason for you to grab your perfect cup of coffee here is that Pacific Coffee is having Daily Combo Set meal from RM 9.90 onwards with FREE Brewed Coffee/Tea refill until 12 noon.

 

For exact location, please refer to the yellow circle in picture above. It’s just opposite of The Chicken Rice Shop & Shogun.

 

Here’s the outlet detail:

Address: LG2.95, Sunway Pyramid Shopping Mall (Inside the Marrakesh area).

Phone No: 03-56113170

Operating Hour: 10am until 10pm

 

2013 Christmas Gift Idea: Cupcakes from Rolling Pin

Few days ago, I was delighted to receive skilfully made cupcakes, specially delivered by the thoughtful chaps behind Rolling Pin (official website) to my house. Couldn't resist those pretty cupcakes with different designs, at the same time they are just too cute to be eaten!

 

 The cupcakes are made from scratch with no preservatives. You can choose flavours such as chocolate, vanilla butter and red velvet for cupcake base- more new flavours coming up soon!


The chocolate cupcake base is easily one of the best that I've had- rich with chocolate goodness and very moist texture. As for the butter flavour it was alright, not too oily with adequate buttery fragrance. Best of all the sweetness of the fondant and icing are not overwhelming. The cupcakes shown in the pics are in small size.


For booking enquiries, you can either:

1. Visit their Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/rolling.pin.pj)
2. Contact Jolene at 017-309 5020


Selling price (Depends on sizes, quantity & type of designs)

Small- RM4
Standard- RM5
Large- RM6

The cupcakes are best kept in the fridge for maximum one week. Feel free to check out other designs by them as they do provide cupcakes for events such as birthday, weddings, anniversaries and others. I spotted various fondant icing designs including Minions which many people including kids and adults will love them too :D

Aoyama The Green Room, Desa Sri Hartamas

Desa Sri Hartamas is an area that I hardly venture into, when I clearly remember the first time I’ve been there was for a part time job. Still vivid in my mind was quite a number of Japanese restaurants existing when I made rounds around the shop areas, albeit like a maze for me. Parking can be quite a hassle here during weekends, the roads became even more narrow when folks double park their cars.

 

 

This time, Nomsterads brought us to this unique Japanese restaurant that serves Japanese fusion food, emphasizing on MSG free as well as continuous innovation to come up with new dishes, definitely something unique compared with the usual fix like basic tempura or sashimi. Talking about customer satisfaction, I’ve read a number of positive reviews and glad to see the chefs’ effort in creating brand new dishes to give Japanese food a whole new ‘fresh look’. They also practice ‘made from scratch’ or homemade concepts in some of their dishes or dessert. Check out the food served to us on the lovely Saturday afternoon.

Just a simple yet calm interior setting with yummy food and bunch of lovelies will do just great.

 

Alcoholic drinks in glass display as you enter the restaurant.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Four Seasons (RM15 for mini size)- (clockwise from top) a cold dish combination comprising jelly fish, baby octopus (Chuka Idako), tako (squid) wasabi and sebugai (shellfish).

 

No complaints as all of them were pleasantly fresh and decent. A rather unique pick will be tako wasabi- A gooey mixture of squids and wasabi that provides a hint of kick from wasabi, not too overpowering that will make you tear. Just nice for those who can’t take too much wasabi.

 

 

 Ko Ebi (RM10)- An irresistible and addictive appetizer that is a must order item. The mini prawns were very lightly coated with kaarage powder then deep fried till golden crispy perfection. Love the slightly salty taste that does not make it just a boring flat shrimp taste. Once you pop, you can’t stop!

 

Wakazaki (RM6 for half portion)- Essentially ‘ikan bilis’ imported from Japan. Since it is a seasonal dish, it is not in the menu so you will have to ask its availability during your visit. It definitely did not disappoint us, just like the earlier appetizer- crunchy, not greasy and addictive!

Special salad (RM28)- comprises two different types of salad

Suzuki fish + jelly fish + goma (sesame) sauce

Salmon sashimi + salad leaves + pinenuts

Reasonably fresh that left us feeling contented with the raw fish affair. The goma sauce is partly mixed in house, with just the right consistency and amount to go with the elements in the salad. Definitely can’t go wrong with the nutty and fragrant dressing.

 

Oki Ebi Teppan (RM58- market price)

 

 

First impression on the presentation already vowed us to dig in immediately. Super big river prawn head sitting on top of chawanmushi, with super succulent and sweet prawns served beside it. Noticed the fine grounded salt placed beside also? Just dip the prawns with small amount of sodium to enhance the overall flavour. The smoky teppan flavour that coats the super fresh prawns indicates it has been well executed- not overcooked that will affect its texture, also controlling the cooking temperature carefully.

 

 

Although the steamed egg custard was ultimately smooth and soft, it was a tad too salty. The smooth gravy that resembles sharks fin soup texture was very flavourful, perfect to go with steamed rice.

 

 

Fusion Tuna Plate (RM50)

 

 

Wagyu tomato beef (RM48)- wagyu beef cubes, foie gras and shiitake mushrooms

Again, the very flavourful sauce that taste much like Chinese style oyster sauce gravy is suitable to go with steamed rice. We can hardly find the foie gras as the ingredients really look alike. That aside, the bunch of foodies were satisfied with the tender beef cubes. Again, cooked until the right doneness that did not affect its texture. Of course, the presentation also scored extra points from us.

 

Hisuji steak (RM22)- essentially lamb burger with egg on hot plate

Upon arriving to our table, the dish immediately attracted us due to the fragrant grill aroma. The patty is made from mixture of minced mutton, lamb, chopped onions, corn flour, salt and pepper. Some katsu sauce and mayonnaise is drizzled on top of the cooked patty. The mixture of 2 different meats is on purpose to achieve firm texture, just simple ingredients with chef’s effort will result in a favourable dish.

 

 

The egg is poured only when the dish is served to your table. The slight lamb smell did not put us off to enjoy this dish, we also liked the resulting texture as well as just the right savoury taste.

 

Celeste Maki (RM28) 

Lobster salad and tempura prawns wrapped in blue rice made from blue pea flower commonly used in cooking up Nyonya dishes. Now that’s a fusion Japanese food that I’ve first came across.

 

Volcano Maki (RM22)

 

Kani (crab) stick, Japanese cucumber and tempura flakes- deep fried then drizzled with special in house Volcano sauce made from tobacco sauce,  Shichimi powder and chilli paste. We felt that the spicy and tongue-numbing sauce has overpowered the taste of ingredients inside the maki. Spicy food lovers like me and Pancake can easily polish off the sauce from the plate. The chilli paste is also made from scratch by using lantern shaped chillies from Cameron Highlands, with Aoyama carries the pride that many customers who likes spicy food will request for this chilli paste to be added in their dishes, also applicable to the following dish.

 

Kyushu Shoyu Ramen (RM28)- spicy and non-spicy versions, only 10 bowls available per day.

 

Spicy version- with addition of homemade chilli paste

Non-spicy version

 

The broth being boiled for at least 20 hours made from chicken bones, radish, onions, leeks and Konbu seaweed was light yet pleasantly sweet, just nice to pair with al-dente ramen, chicken roll, sweet peas, corn, seaweed slices, shredded wooden ear fungus, sesame seeds, Japanese green onion and egg.

 

The chicken roll is rolled then steamed beforehand to maintain its round shape. When customer places an order, the roll will be grilled then coated with Teriyaki sauce. You can request this to be served separately from the ramen instead of letting it soaking in the broth. The rolls were decent, nothing much to shout about. There was one piece that had a rather dry texture while another tasting portion of mine was just fine.

Spicy versions are essentially added with homemade chilli paste, quite spicy for me I would say although I have highly tolerance to spicy food.

Feel free to increase spiciness level

Homemade Ice Cream- (RM16- 1 set of 4 scoops)

Ocean Blue- made from sea salt and blue pea flower to achieve blue appearance. It is interesting to note the slightly salty taste, but not something that I fancy.

Macha Red Bean- easily one of the best I’ve tried. Bitter yet filled with strong matcha that appeals to tastebuds, also topped with homemade red bean paste, exactly what I’m finding for in a perfect macha ice cream. Give me 5 scoops and I will happily enjoy it :P

Vanilla Yuzu- added with Sakae to provide alcoholic boost. I can barely taste the citrus sensation from Yuzu, but the fragrant yet not artificial vanilla fragrance made up for it.

Goma- another typical Japanese ice cream that can’t go wrong if you like the toasty and nutty flavours from sesame. Again, this is another perfect scoop of heaven- the mixture of white and black sesame seeds and groundnuts (extra nutty flavour that other places do not usually add in) really guarantees more than one thumbs up.

Not to mention, all of us love the smooth, creamy yet thick texture of ice cream- I wouldn’t mind treating this to myself once in a while despite of its pricetag.  

Thank you for having us, Nicole! 

 

 Now you know where to find affordable lunch sets! Only RM9.90+ for udon/soba, side dish and miso soup! 

 



Aoyama The Green Room

No. 8 (GR),  Jalan 27/70A
Desa Sri Hartamas
50480 Kuala Lumpur.

Business Hours: 11.30 a.m. till 2.30 p.m

6.00 p.m. - 10.30 p.m.

 

Contact number: 03 6206 3800

 

Facebook page: Aoyama The Green Room

Hotel Review: Holiday Villa Hotel & Suites Subang, Selangor, Malaysia

A couple of weeks ago, I was delighted to receive an invitation from Holiday Villa Hotel & Suites Subang to enjoy a one night stay at the Corporate Deluxe room. The 5-star hotel is strategically located at the prime area of Subang Jaya, where attractive and convenient places such as Sime Darby Medical Centre, Sunway Pyramid shopping mall, Sunway Lagoon, Subang Parade, Empire Shopping Gallery and others are located within the vicinity. The hotel offers 383 guest rooms, 9 restaurants, 15 meeting rooms, 3 ballrooms, and a comprehensive range of sports and recreational facilities.

 Hotel Lobby

 

 Reception counter

 

Also, major areas of the hotel are newly refurbished, adding a modern touch to the overall ambience. I was here around two years ago for a Ramadhan buffet review, and now I am pleased with the brighter and fresh look compared to the previous setting.

 

Welcome drink

 

After the speedy check-in procedure, we were immediately ushered to our room at the 13^th floor. With their tagline 'Let Us Manja U', I can sincerely feel their warm hospitality and speed of service from the very first moment till the end of our stay.

 Spacious room for us to enjoy over the weekend.

 

Greeting us was the calm view of the spectacular lake with the panoramic reflection of the nearby condominium properties, along with the prominent Federal Highway.  

 

 Flat screen TV with selected Astro channels (CNN, NHK, Star Movies, ESPN)

 

 Complimentary fruit basket upon check-in

 

 

 At least 5 plug points are available, plenty for your gadgets and not to worry who gets to charge their electronic devices first! :P

 Huge wardrobe, electronic safe and bathroom scale

 

 Separate shower and bath area. Love the concept as well as the strong water pressure and easy adjustable water temperature.

 

 Personal care products

 

 



 Coffee/ tea making facilities

 

Guests can also enjoy complimentary wifi internet access in room, complimentary 1 hour use of meeting room at Business centre as well as free pressing (2 garments per day).

 

If I were to nitpick, I would prefer a softer bed for my back but then this depends on individual preference though.

 

We then proceeded to Palm Terrace Coffeehouse for buffet dinner.

 

 

 

I have to compliment their delicious Salmon Canelloni and Stuffed Squid with Otak-otak for main course, as well as my plate of wonderful desserts to end the meal. They are really good at cakes and desserts. However, although seafood dishes like prawns and crabs were nicely done but were lacking in freshness.

 

While the night is still young, we also checked out the newly renovated La Vida Lounge featuring their live band and music.

 

 Various artists portraits for your viewing pleasure, serves as a simple yet classic décor to present a reminiscing feeling.

 

Go for a game session as you wish

 

When staying in a hotel, I always look forward to the buffet breakfast. It certainly feels great waking up to a wholesome breakfast that energizes me throughout the day. Back to Palm Terrace Coffehouse again, various Western breakfast items and pastries were ready to be savoured.

 

A Malaysian breakfast is not complete without Nasi Lemak, also good was the hot flaky pastries fresh from the oven.

 

Other hotel facilities are also available as follows:

 

Olympic-sized pool, children's pool, learner's pool, toddler's pool & open-air jacuzzi

 

 Amoaras Relaxation Spa

 

 Children's Play Room

 

 Snooker Room

 

 4 Squash courts. If you fancy some tennis movements, show off your tennis skills at the designated 6 outdoor tennis courts.

 

 Gym

 

 10-lane bowling alley

 

 4 badminton courts

 

 Hair saloon

Convenience store & duty free shop

 

Other dining options would be The Inn of Four Seasons Chinese Restaurant (pic), CIBO Ristorante Italiano, Poolside Café and Lobby Lounge (below).

 

 

Had some tantalizing Shepherd's Pie and Chicken Mushroom Pie as they are currently having promo RM8++ per pie (for dine-in only). Love the tangy tomato based sauce coated on generous chunks of lamb meat as the filling inside Shepherd's pie, the fluffy mashed potato and creamy fillings did not disappoint us. To end our light lunch, we ordered a nicel looking walnut pie to top off the pie tsasting session, but perhaps this needed more sweetness to complement natural fragrance from walnuts.

 

I am delighted with the overall stay experience and I would say this is one hotel that oozes great hospitality and amibience replete with the most complete set of resort facilities one would crave for. No traveller or tourist should omit to consider this hotel!. All in all, we had a wonderful weekend specially thanks to Mr Kenneth, Mr Kenny, Mr Xavierig, Mr Roslan and Ms Punitha for the generous hospitality.

 

 

Room rate: RM680++ per night

Location: 9, Jalan SS 12/1, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

Contact Number: Tel: (6-03) 5633-8788 / Fax: (6-03) 5633-7449

Website: http://www.holidayvillahotelsubang.com/