Zul Satay, Kuantan Pahang

Yup. Another post on my weekend trip to Kuantan. What's a good holiday to a food blogger if no food is introduced?

The hotel package (http://tummythoz.blogspot.com/2010/08/weekend-at-kuantan-pahang.html) we took covered breakfasts and pre-dinner cocktails. So our routine was late breakfast, prolonged cocktails and did late supper in town.

Ist night we did everybody's, no matter you are 1, 2, 5001 or whatever numbered Malaysian favourite meat dish - Satay!The shop is super famous & popular in Kuantan because at such late hour, the whole townsfolk seemed to be there.

Place is clean, service efficient. Lurve it best that each gets his/her own plate of luscious peanut sauce. Freedom to mind own manners when dipping, spooning or outright slurping. Good!And so we had:-
This is DA BOMB! Even moi, a non mutton fan was scrambling for the last stick on the table.This bombed. It was tough.Except WABBIT meat. Okay, it's rabbit but a few friends just cannot fathom consuming such cute furry mammals. Hey, lambs not cute-meh? Nevertheless what stopped us from ordering was that cuteness come with a not so cute price-tag. RM1.40 per satay stick! That's what it says on the paper with the 'V' sign.Wash it all down with a piping hot fragrant Teh Tarik and we were ready to end another happy holi-day with ZzZzzzzz.Price per satay stick (chicken, mutton or beef) : RM0.60

Location : Err.. it's famous so just ask anyone in Kuantan for Zul Satay. Once within it's vicinity, it's a brightly lit double storey corner shop.OOPs.. almost missed to wish all celebrating a HAPPY HEALTHY RAYA!!

Continental Breakfast at Hyatt, Kuantan Pahang or Hoi Yin ..

And there we were. Checked in the luxurious Club Rooms (but no seaview since that would be additional charge of RM160. *Blek*).

Free Continental Breakfast, NOT International buffet spread. I do wonder why.

Continental brekkie makes up of quite boring stuff. Y'know, a variety of cereals, croissants, buns, dry cookies, gimme Asian anytime. Only excitable possible artery choking stuff would a variety of cheeses which this Cina-moi does not know how to appreciate. Close to that was the the thin slices of roast beef. Butter? Unsalted, ok. What is a Nasi Lemak fan to do?

Stack those up in between toasted brown bread with smoked turkey, smoked salmon, salad greens with a healthy dose of herbs and nuts then chomp chomp chomp. Oya, dip that in half boiled eggs .. sadly mine came lumpy. BUT shake some pepper and ... soya sauce,my 1st holiday breakfast of that trip was saved.

The following morning, an unanimous vote was to spend for our breakfast. Walked out, cross a quiet street and there stood this.Yummy thick Curry Noodles Kuantan style! Generous portions of partially cooked cockles, slices of boiled chicken, fried beancurd, pieces of fish cakes and err.. fish balls (?). Price : RM4.50 per bowl (I think).

By the way, know what's the crowd like early morning around the beach and the unopened stalls? But of course that did not stop city folks from doing this!If only workdays start like this. *sigh*

Weekend at Kuantan, Pahang

Who needs friends?

I do!

I need friends with the capability to score discount vouchers for more than a couple-starred hotel getaways!

And being needy pays. *arms in pumping action*

Last weekend, 6 of us broke away from the concrete jungle to drive 3 hours to bask in some sun, sea and sleep(?).

Look at that. Ahhh smack right in Kuantan, the capital of Pahang, lies beautiful Teluk Chempedak. Ahhh..

What's your checklist for a rejuvenating weekend getaway?

Mine's simple. Just:-

1. Calm breezy ocean
2. Minimal human traffic (except for own friends, quiet or otherwise, of course)
3. Free flow of happy drinks (beer, wine of both colours, mean cocktails)
4. Full trays of a wide variety of prettily arranged finger food
5. A comfy room

Hard working people sure needs more of these. To maintain sanity.

Toilet post#35

Obviously, another Beijing post.

Trivia: Bags go through scanners entering the Square. Heck, bags go through plenty of scanners throughout the city especially when travelling its subway system (only RMB2 to anywhere) and visiting the National Monuments. Any weaker bag could ooze green glob or start growing spidey bristles.

NO toilet facilities within the Square.

Trivia: The young guards stationed rigidly around the Square regards 'where's the toilet' question to be below them.

One has to exit the Square vide the underground tunnel and cross the road to get to the nearest public toilet.

Here. Just opposite this.

Trivia: Since you're already opposite the Square, locate the post office. Buy a postcard some stamps and mail it from there. The Tiananmen Square postmark is a great souvenir.

Not to worry. Toilet just a tad shabby but cleanliness level gets an A for Agreeable.

Trivia: The moderately hyped about daily evening changing of guards between the Square and the Imperial Palace across the road does not justify an hour and a half wait. Nevertheless, the light up of the Palace and Square may appeal to some.

A Roarrrring Grrreat Chinese New Year, everyone!

Note: NOT Maybank Berhad but initials of a delicious hic-hic-hic malt drink brewery in Laos.

Dong Lai Shun Muslim Restaurant, Wangfujing Street, Beijing China

Another fine lucky day, friend of a friend who treated us here brought us to another tourist food haunt along the busy shoppers street, Wangfujing.

Steamboats do not exactly make my saliva drool especially in hot weather and summer in China fries eggs still in shells (not scientifically proven). However, she insisted. It'll be different from what we usually have in Malaysia, she said.

Again it was a extravagantly decorated restaurant. With cool air-conditioners. Phew. Tables near, seatings were tight. No wonder the waiting staff (men) were all of a certain standard size - petite.

First up, these were served. Sesame paste in a bowl, chilli oil in a small pouring can, minced garlic and fresh spring onions in a sauce plate.

Mix everything up and it's ready for dipping or dunking (immersed the food wholly into it) as most locals do. While waiting for the pot of soup to boil, we each had a Stick of Spicy Barbequed Lamb. DO NOT MISS ORDERING this wherever it's available in China. We did it by the roadside, in shop in restaurant and all had been delicious in their own way.No fishballs, no porkballs, no seafood, oh no!

Instead we had:-
Some kind of Noodles similar to our Laksa Noodles in Malaysia,Some type of Compressed Beancurd,Some type of Elongated Beancurd (this we liked a lot!)Some Cabbage and Local Greens which had a distinctive raw green taste (if that means anything to you)Thinly sliced Marbled Beef. Woohoo jackpot! Especially when 1 of us does not take moo-moo,and finally something I can properly name, Golden Needle Mushrooms.The spread may not be varied but we were full especially when everything went with the fragrant but very filling (kinda like 'jelak' or 'chai') sesame sauce.

All went very well with the hot soup, infused with Chinese Herbs boiling away in an interesting copper pot.Looking at the herbs left in it, think it can be easily replicated at home... if one can recognise them.And yet again, friend of a friend in the 17 million Beijing population settled the bill and refused to let us share. Such friend of friend is such a keeper. =P

Note: Chinese do not steamboat like Malaysians. The ingredients go in and out one by one, not everything goes in at one go and taken out together - rojak style - as we do over here.

I may not have the address on hand but once you are on that street, its elaborate doorway and bright lights will practically jump at you.By the time we left the restaurant, it was already nightfall and the huge crowds were drawn to a night market nearby. We shoved out way there too and that's a post for another day.