Unusual Menu Items

 

Ended up in a small town near to the Taman Negara national park. During Ramadan, the best bet is to steer to Chinese restaurants before 6pm to have dinner. Many other places might be closed or are extremely busy with those waiting to break their fast during their festive month (We found McDonalds closed during lunch. We assume a lack of customers during this time). 

Apparently, the Fish Lips Soup is a thing. One would cut off the lips, dry them, then make soup with it, adding other ingredients. We were later told that this restaurant was once famous for Monkey Head Soup. Well, they could keep that, no interest. Same goes for Sharkfin Soup. Personally, never understood the hype about it as it is a dish that you HAVE to add vinegar to in order to give it some taste. 

Among the other, rather delicious, dishes we had was the coconut flower soup. Something never seen before, but stunningly nice:

You Better not Run Through the Jungle

 

Back in Secondary School we would learn about rainforests and how they are vital for the planet as the source of Oxygen, our lungs so to say. We read about the largest ones to be around the Amazonas and in Malaysia. I have been to the jungle in Malaysia before, but this time it was a different part, a different landscape. 

Taman Negara is a vast national park in Malaysia on the Malay peninsula. It encompasses a sprawling tropical rainforest that's said to be 130 million years old. The tourist brochure recommends a different route in, while we started off from a small town "nearby", called Jerantut. Amazing place that, one of these surprising little places that wow you with great food and interesting sights. 

What an amazing ride. 200 Km through the rainforest. At 7am, we had fog like this. The entire stretch is just mall roads, one curve after the other. There are a lot of bumps and in places, parts of the road had been washed away. It was SUPER silent as the forest and fog muffles everything. One leg we drove for 1 hour and there was not another vehicle! The setting and atmosphere reminded of the 1977 movie Sorcerer. 

Most of the other vehicles on the road (of which there were VERY few) are timber jinkers. Getting into these camps is something else as there are no roads. The drivers of these trucks will carry the timber all over Malaysia, sometimes only coming home to see their family once in 2 weeks. We went past houses, schools and clinics in the middle of nowhere. Not a supermarket in sight. Or a petrol station. It seems that one would have to fill the tank every time one goes to town. 

An abandoned burger stall served as a marker to slow down to stop at the Bukit Awan, the Cloud Hill. At around 8:30, there was nothing but fog. Sadly, people that use this rest stop just litter and there was a lot of rubbish strewn around in this otherwise nicely placed and constructed viewpoint. The view was magnificent once the fog lifted in the late morning. We stopped many times to snap pictures, plug some flowers. Even with no traffic, the roads are quiet demanding as they are narrow. Overtaking trucks is an adventure and buffalo grazing might just lumber onto the roads. 

Lots of the old Mercedes "911", the Short Nose, are still in operation around here, hauling timber. These trucks seem to be indestructible. And those that have exhausted their last Diesel still make for fantastic motifs for photos. Like these two. One can only wonder what these trucks have endured and how much cargo they have hauled in decades of service. 

Dark Mood on

 

Big cities sometimes make for stunning moods.... Especially when it rains here, the setting is something that could be used in any good (or real bad) Sci-Fi movie. 

How Much Get Movie Critics Paid?

 "Movie Critic" is  a job as I understand it. I find it fascinating that one could make enough money with writing reviews of movies. There are what, two or three new movies a week? Being a movie critic would certainly not be a job that is based on volume produced. Surely, one would have to spend time watching each movie, some maybe even twice, then do research, and also know stuff around the world of cinema. 

Yet, I am intrigued by the fact that one could make a living with this. Or do movie critics have side incomes? Or is being a movie critic a side income?

No, I don't mean to belittle the profession as I oftentimes read reviews before watching a flick. I am just curious about how this works. 

Holding Court: The View we have been waiting for!

 

I like rooftop bars. I like to have a bit of wind around the nose when I sit down to unwind. Staring at a PC all day long, I like to cast my eye to the distance, just gazing. What was missing in Setia Alam was a place where one could be above it all. Finally, with the opening of the Courtyard by Marriott, this gap is now plugged. 

Right smack in the middle of Setia Alam towers the Courtyard by Marriott, which is adjacent to the mall and thus ideal to have a relaxing drink after a day replenishing wardrobe, fridge and getting a fill of action in the movie theater. Majestic is one way to describe the hotel as the developer has been generous with space and marble.

The pool bar is facing East, high enough to overlook most of the vibrant township. It is certainly a counter proposal to the other establishments around, as it is a little less hectic than, say, having a beer in a food court. 

Having seen the rooms, we know where to put visitors from now on and we are eagerly awaiting May 18th, when we host our first company event here. 

Holler if you would like to catch up over a tipple!

Up, Up and Away: The Inaugural Airline Awards Malaysia

 

Now, this should be interesting: The Expat Group (TEG) is organising an Airline Award. Flying has certainly changed a little post-pandemic, hence this should be a good initiative to gauge the service levels offered by the many airlines that are flying in and out of Malaysia.

Following discussions with a number of the airlines flying into and out of Malaysia, TEG have decided to organise annual airline awards to recognise the efforts they make to provide a reliable, safe, and efficient service to the flying public. They believe this will not only mean the better players are recognised, but also help to raise industry standards.

What most people like about the format is that the airlines themselves will not be allowed to sponsor the show, thus eliminating bias as much as possible. Also, it is the public that votes. The very people that would have first hand experience with the services provided. And this is why I got involved.

The award will be presented early next year. For this, the M Resort & Hotel provides the venue. TEG has appointed me as one of their Agents (002) to assists with the sales and marketing of the AAM. Anyone interested in supporting the event may get in contact with me via stefan@launchpad.com.my 

Omakase - Something Different Every Time, all the Time

 
The term "Dining Experience" is usually thrown into any description of an F&B outlet. To me, an experience goes beyond just the transaction of having a meal to feed your body with nutrients and energy. There is more to it. And nothing encapsulates that "experience" part of it than an Omakase (Japanese, I leave it to you / chef's choice). It is the "surprise me" without having to say it. 

So then! Off we are to https://www.tenomakase.com/ to give it another go. And boy! This was truly something else. Each dish was a dance on the culinary stage. Freshness of ingredients, presentation and taste were all top-notch. With Japanese food, the hallmark is freshness and so it is not surprising that many of the dishes incorporate raw items. A sign of confidence and skills.

After six of the eight courses we added a dry-aged Wagyu sashimi, which jetted our experience into the stratosphere. Until that point, it was all seafood and although stunning, something different was needed to cut through that taste profile. 

Ten Omakase only sits 10 or 12 people. There is a Chef for every group of people that dines and one has a dedicated waitress to look after one's every need. One should think that two hours could be a drag, but with that kind of experience, it goes by in a heart-beat while leaving you longing for more. 

Would come back? 9.5 out of 10

#Omakase #TenOmakase #Subang #Eat #Drink #Sake #Food #Japan #DateNight