Had a chance last weekend to do some random simple cooking with Joey. Made a simple no-baking cheesecake but since Joey was craving for some Oreo’s we made an Oreo Cheese by substituting the biscuit base with Oreo’s instead. Haven’t tried making a cheesecake before although had been observing both my mom and sis while they were making it before. It ended up pretty well actually. Tasted kinda good although we forgotten to add the vanilla essence into it while mixing. I knew I forgotten something. Decorated with some banana’s found in the kitchen and it was done in less than an hour. Its amazing what you can do with a hammer and a plastic ziplock bag in cooking.

Recipe after the jump.

Recipe:

2 blocks of Philadelphia cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
Butter
Oreo cookies
Vanilla essence

We also made garlic bread from scratch for fun. Well okay… so I just cut the bread but I did baked them in the oven so I did help! Yummy garlic bread is yummy!!!!

Recipe:

1 loaf Baguette
chopped garlic
parsley
oregano
butter

Maybe I’ll try making something a little harder when I get back from the trip. Deep fried Guinea Pigs perhaps? XP

The first day was to be honest an unexpected uncontrollable headache. The university apparently decided to have an open day on the very same time and the actual venue for GACC was pushed to the nearby classrooms which was hot, small, cramped and ridiculously hot. Did I mention hot? Cause it was like HOT! The air-conditioning was futile with the large amounts of visitors packed into the small makeshift venue. The MC’s both veterans of the ACG community were however there to lighten up the mood and try to create a fun atmosphere.

Then came the usual mix of activities that one would have expect from a large ACG event such as stage performances, competition and tournaments. The second day was a relief as the GACC committee was finally allowed to use the Examhall and to the relief of the visitors as well as it was fully air-conditioned. Cosplayers and the number of visitors were well below the amount seen in previous years. I guess maybe it was just at the wrong timing and the long distance from Kuala Lumpur. In any case, it was still a memorable event with friends meeting up and enjoying themselves with the ongoing activities in and out of the hall.

Yes, I know this isn’t much of a review but I was busy manning the the Anime Depot and the Emina booth. Besides I was too damn tired anyways. My head was spinning the entire weekend I was there. Too bad for me I guess. Be cause of that I really wasn’t able to take much pictures that I would like too. Now that was dissappointing to say the least.

In other news, I’ve finally made a proper watermark for all my future picture uploads. Looks way better than the previous one. As I’ve mentioned previously, I did not have much of a chance to take pictures of cosplayers and the like during my time at GACC but take a look at some of those that I did. Did some experimental photoshop. Kinda like how it turned out. As usual, comments and constructive criticism is very much appreciated.

[View with PicLens]

Sony A350 with kit lens. I so need to get myself a flash unit for the camera…sigh.

Woke up at an ungodly hour of 4.30 am to be picked up by Sean at 5-ish. We overshot the Broga Hill makeshift parking lot and got lost at the Broga Village. Almost hit a couple of dogs in the process too. Finally got our directions right after referring to the Broga police station who’s police officer on duty was nice enough to kindly paused his facebook session to direct us to our destination. No, I did not add  him on FB after that morning thank you very much.

The track up the hill was dark. Very dark to be exact as there was not even a single hint of light except from our torchlight. I recommend anyone going up there to bring at least one torchlight per person cause the route is quite rocky and slippery due to loose sand. Not to mention sudden gaps in the ground or rocks randomly positioned so you might trip, fall, break a bone and die. Okay so you won’t actually die but its still a bummer if you get hurt. A good pair of shoes are very VERY recommended as well. You’ll be needing the grip on the way down.

It takes about 30 minutes to reach the first peak at the initial climb but since it was our first time it took us less than 45 minutes I think. We realized that morning that we really need to work on our workout routine. Anyways, Once you’ve reach the first peak you will be rewarded with a nice cool morning breeze and an amazing view to behold.

The additional peaks are not hard to get to once you reach peak one as they are all nearby. The further up you go the better the view is of course. Perfect for outdoor photography it is something I’m grateful I brought my camera all the way up the hill that morning.

Having a cup of coffee at the top waiting for the sun to rise is such a refreshing feeling. Initially I was wondering on what the hell was I getting myself into committing myself to such a ridiculous thing so early in the morning. But as we both sat there we realized that life is short and if we do not do this now that we might never have the chance to. I felt like an old uncle and I had no regrets.

We continue our climb up to the final peak when the crowd dwindled down and we had almost literally the whole peak to ourselves. The peaceful quiet serenity was something that made me feel humbled by nature’s beauty. I was in awe with the type of scenery that I thought I could only see in other places but my own.

The highest point is about 400meters above sea level and if one should tend to be a little bit more adventurous the track continues 3.1 kilometers inward towards Gunung Tok Wan.

The journey downhill was faster but we had to take it slow and steady as the ground is soft and steep and that’s where you good shoes come into play. The last peak is only accessible by rope as you can see above. Its especially difficult when you are carrying your camera gear in your bag, tripod sling across your chest with your DSLR hanging around your neck. I felt like a commando going for a hike.

We ended the morning by stopping at Restoran Malaysia on the way back in Kajang for some EPICALLY AWESOME SUPER DELICIOUS MOUTH WATERING satay. Open since 1971 apparently, the shop is run by chinese and the satay cook by an old chinese uncle but no pork satay is served so I guess the place is Halal. You get you standard choices of chicken, beef, mutton, duck and fish of satay with original leaf wrapped ketupat. The meat is so juicy and tender and so infused with the satay spices I was stunned for a while after my first bite. It was that good. My favorite was the mutton satay. Its a simple corner shop located along the main road near the police station it is a must try and I believe this the where the term satay kajang came from.

In the end of that day, all I could say is that it was all worth it. Although tired and bruised all over with sore muscles and aching joints victory when reaching the top is simply…priceless. Cheers.

]]> http://clowonline.com/2010/02/19/broga-hill-escapades/feed/ 4 http://clowonline.com/2009/10/23/lunch-in-the-apartment/ http://clowonline.com/2009/10/23/lunch-in-the-apartment/#comments Thu, 22 Oct 2009 19:59:19 +0000 clow http://clowonline.com/?p=876 Honestly, I think I need to think up of better sounding titles that are more catchy. I have a feeling it might be getting lame lately. But in anycase, I heard about the this place interestingly called The Apartment from a few friends of mine and they mentioned about it having a peculiar comfortable and cozy atmosphere. Therefore, I took the opportunity recently to check it out for lunch. Located right next door to Italiannies at The Curve its very easy to spot.

I had the lunch special to see what was the real deal with the food. Logic states that if one cooks good food and its cheap then other more expensive stuff on the menu should be good. Well I guess I just decided to give this particular theory a try. Lunch set comes with a soup of the day and a salad and your choice of entree (main dish).

Bread serve with some sort of garlic butter is usually served I think but it wasn’t served when I went there the 2nd time. In this pic the soup was celery soup, the next day it was pumpkin soup. I prefer the celery soup compared to the pumpkin soup. It was too think im my opinion. Had some curry powder mixed in it I think to give it an extra flavor but to me the more I drank the more it felt like Indian Dall.

Avacado Chicken

Large pieces of grilled chicken breat with mashed potatoes sanwiched in between topped with an avacado dressing. The Avacado Chicken was tender and the avacado mix gave it a slight tang to the flavour which was quite refreshing.

Steak and Chips

The steak was pretty good. I ordered for medium and it was soft, tender and juicy but it was cooked a little too rare  in my opinion as the meat towards the center was too raw for me. Had to ask for it to be resend to the kitchen for it to be recooked. I didn’t want to take the chance to ruin my holidays with food poisoning so I had to better play safe. The fries were fresh as we could taste the softness and the crunchy-ness of the outer layer of the home made fries.

Eton Mess

Salmon Wrap

Chicken Wrap

The salmon wrap and chicken wrap were what I would just call as alright. The chicken used in the chicken wrap was tandoori chicken and the smoked salmon in the salmon wrap was just so-so in my opinion. The potato chips were good as a snack though.

Baked Chocolate Pudding

But what I felt was the best item to have during my 2 times at The Apartment was the deserts. The Eton Mess although ironically messy it was refreshingly tangy and sweet but not so sweet until it causes diabetes after consumption. The fresh strawberry chunks with strawberry jam really creates a magnificent flavor with the meringue used. The baked chocolate pudding will definitely be a wet dream of any chocolate aficionado. Soft, sweet and warm chocolate all baked in a small cup/bowl with a side of vanilla ice-cream. The cold ice cream really brings a contrast to the warm chocolate. Truly a must try if you have a sweet tooth and an insurance policy.

Nice relaxing atmosphere for a chill out session but will I go again to try the main menu this time? Definitely, yes but I’ll have to save before I go first otherwise this student writer will be eating grass and riding a cat driven cart to campus for classes. Unless somebody wanna foot the bill of course. XD

]]> http://clowonline.com/2009/10/23/lunch-in-the-apartment/feed/ 5 http://clowonline.com/2009/10/15/the-agave-experience-fronteras/ http://clowonline.com/2009/10/15/the-agave-experience-fronteras/#comments Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:27:35 +0000 clow http://clowonline.com/?p=845 I’m a guy who loves spicy food. I’m also a guy who really enjoys spicy food that will make you stop, drop and roll with your mouth thinking that it was actually on fire. I’m always up for the next burning hot challenge and then I stumbled upon a blog post by a certain local celebrity blogger by the name of Kenny Sia who tried having some Hanabero chilli peppers at a Tex-Mex restaurant in PJ.  The place was called Frontera’s and its where I had my first Agave Experience.

Frontera’s located at JayaOne along Jalan University in Petaling Jaya not too far from University Hospital. Situated at a cozy corner of Jaya One among all the other eateries was quite comfortable for us as we decided to sit outside dining alfresco style. Due to complete randomness and may I say boredom I took the opportunity to organize a small testosterone challenge for a guys to separate the men from the *cough*ladies*cough*. The challenge was to consume Frontera’s infamous Killer Spicy Hanabero Chicken Wings without drinking water in which the first one who do losses. Yes, we behave like little children sometimes. XP

To be perfectly frank, the Killer Spicy Hanabero Chicken Wings was spicy indeed but not as tongue melting as we expected it to be. Maybe being Malaysian consuming heavily spiced and spicy food all this years might had screwed up our taste buds. I personally quite enjoyed the chicken wings but since we were sharing I felt it wasn’t enough. But alas, I have to keep my stomach available for the main course. Sean had the Chili Con Carde and cheese enchiladas, KCLee had the chicken enchiladas, Silencers the chilli cheeseburger, while I had the beef enchiladas beef special cheese chilli beef burritos a regular beef burritos. Almost everything I wanted to order was so good they ran out of it. Fuck my life.

According to Klue Magazine Frontera was voted in having the best Margarita in town and I would have to agree with that judgment. I had the Horny Margarita. It was sweet and refreshing and it doesn’t leave a bad aftertaste in my mouth like most Margarita. It was so refreshingly good they are the only place apparently that serve in in jugs. Definitely, a hit with the ladies.

Horny Margaritas made from Hornitos Tequila

The food was good. Once Sean’s Chill Con Carne arrived the rest of us went digging into his food cause it looked so damn good and we were blown away at the very first bite by the spice and fragrance of the beef. It is a definite must have on a first try.

Chilli Con Carne

If someone ask you “Can I has cheezeburger?” just say yes and point him to what Silencers had. A huge chunk of tender beef patty topped up with cheese and chilli served together with a side of homemade fries. Simply delicious.

Frontera's chilli cheeseburger

The cheese enchiladas, chicken enchiladas, and burritos is served with some spiced Mexican rice and frijoles refritos (Refried beans). I just wished I could have tried the beef enchiladas

Cheese Enquiladas

Chicken Enquiladas

Beef Burritto

The Hanabero Chicken Wings is truly a must try. They serve the the wings with a few spicy level choices like in Nandos but if you think you can handle the heat try the KILLER type. We had it and we had a blast.

Killer Spicy Hanabero Chicken Wings

We met Larry the owner of the place after our meal to talk to him about Frontera and we had an educating night about tequila and all its intricacies. Fronters serves only pure 100% Agave Tequilla and we can clearly see and taste why. Usually when served tequilla most places have salt or lime to go with it. Its so that the crappy taste can be masked. Most tequilla served is not 100% Agave tequilla and is only about 60% pure. The other 40% is mix with anything the producer wants.

I really recommend this place should you have the urge to try some authentic Tex-Mex fare with some wonderfully good Tequila.

As a side note, we also took the manly raw hanabero chili pepper challenge among ourselves. Suffice to say it was a tie between me and KCLee. *cue evil laughter*

Everyone takes a slice each, chew 7 times or more then swallow. Last one standing wins. It was a draw between KCLee and me.

P/s: Apparently, Tequilla does not contain a certain chemical unlike all alcoholic drinks that gives a you a hangover in the morning when you drink too much of it. SALUT!!! XD

Pics courtesy of KCLee and omoshiroi.org.

The whole concept part is unique and comprising 2 stories of eating and display space it really is nice to see such design and creative works on display. It honestly had a few stuff that I find as very interesting. The pictures show for themselves.

However, what really disappointed me was the food and drinks. To sum it up in a word. SHIT. Yeaps, you heard me right. It taste like small portions of defecation arranged nicely on my plate. Not only was the portion disappointingly sad it was bloody expensive as well. I ordered the ‘Sauteed Spaghetti’ and it got mowed down in 30secs flat. Yes, I even timed myself. The girls I went with ordered Korean Noodles which was basically instant Korean noodles with 2 sausages and some vegetable cooked in it and also a Nasi Lemak Ayam Rendang. The instant Korean noodles used wasn’t even a good brand. It was a little bit spicy but tasteless and would have insulted Koreans themselves. If this was North Korea I think the cook would be placed in a concentration ‘re-education camp* for this insult. The Nasi Lemak barely survive the food test and was just ‘edible’.

The drinks was too sweet and my pot of peppermint tea was tasteless. It was so tasteless I had to ask for sugar which did not come together with the tea separately. Here’s the kicker, the waitress looked stumped when i requested for sugar like the concept of putting sugar in plain tea was foreign to her. Heck, she came back with a couple of small sugar packets  you find at starbucks or in hotels for me and did not even give me a teaspoon to stir it with. I mean come on! ITS PEPPERMINT TEA!!! NOT GREEN TEA OR JASMINE TEA OR YOUR STANDARD CHINESE FREAKING TEA DAMMIT!!! *Huff huff* *Ehem* This bring me to the point of this short review where I say the service pretty much sucked. It didn’t suck too much actually but its still wasn’t up to par to what I’m paying through my nose for.

This was my 2nd time eating at Fullhouse, the first being my sister’s birthday and I though my tastebuds had to be used to the taste of their sweet black pepper sauce or their sweet cream sauce on their food. Bleh. Some food goes well with others and vise-versa but this time I could clearly confirm that this place is to be avoided if you wanna have a meal. Drinks should be find if you like to acquire diabetus or have a taste for tasteless angmoh tea. Come here for the decor, take a look, take some pictures and get the fuck out. Don’t waste your money, trust me. Its not worth it.

Coming back to NiuZeXui, it really is a unique place with potential trying to establish itself within the lifestyle concept. Very interesting indeed but sadly in my opinion suffered from VERY bad location planning. Good concept, bad implementation. When I went there on a Sunday it looked completely deserted like a ghost town with all the lights off and only a few shops were open and fewer visitors to boot. It was not how it looked like the last time I was there. Scary indeed.

So, will I be going to Full house again? By myself? Not a bloody chance in hell. Unless its to go and take pictures or if they improve the quality of their food then maybe just MAYBE I’ll reconsider.

P/s: Looks like Fullhouse will be opening a branch in Sunway Pyramid. I think its gonna suck as much as the original one.

Apparently, this place also breeds semi transparent frogs for sale. Such cruelty I say.