Monthly Archives: May 2014

Kuala Lumpur Day 5

Gosh dangit already on Day 5 of the Memorial Day getaway. Well, we trucked around center city Kuala Lumpur on our last day with Luis. We checked out Brickfields also known as Little India, China Town or known as peddlers ally, and the Central Market.

We ate the local eats, such as durian fruit (AKA hot trash) and ais kacang or known as ABC (acronym for Air Batu Campur, literally meaning “mixed ice”). The ABC reminded me of S.Korea’s potbingsoo but cracked out. There was so much on this thing my mouth was totally confused by all of the textures and flavors that were going on inside of it. I am talking about crazy flavors like palm seed, red beans, sweet corn, grass jelly and cubes of agar agar, aloe vera, cendol, ice cream. A final topping of evaporated milk, condensed milk, or coconut milk drizzled over the mountain of ice along with red rose syrup and sarsi syrup.

Perhaps I am bias, but I will always hold such a dear spot for our beloved original potbingsoo. It’s good to be back in the graces of Potbingsoo’s again. Cheers!

Many thanks to you Luis and showing us your Malaysia. It was a dream!

Curious, would you dare to try the local eats such as local eats, such as durian fruit or ABC?

Backpackbees

Kuala Lumpur Day 4

If you’ve followed along on past blog post, you are very familiar with the fact that I am learning to cook and I enjoy cooking in the evenings with Mr. B. When my best friend Rebecca came to stay with us here in South Korea we took a Korean cooking class that left me with a burning desire to take more. Before heading to Malaysia I did some research online and found Ana Abdullah’s LaZat Malaysian Cooking Classes later to find out that it was located only a stone throw away from our friend Luis’s home. Even better!

I talked Mr. B into trying out a class to see what he thought. I will be frank, Mr. B wasn’t over the moon about the idea, but decided he would at least try it out and decide from there. I hoped this wasn’t going to be his first and last experience. I printed out the list of various course offered on certain days, we picked and reserved conveniently online.

By the next morning I had a confirmation e-mail with all of the details confirming our reservations to the cooking class. I was really excited to not only taste Malaysian cuisine, but to learn to cook it too! The website described Malaysian cuisine as a unique fusion of Malay, Chinese, Indian and Baba-Nonya flavors. My mouth was already drooling!

Day four came early after our fantastic night out on the town. At 8:30am we were to meet a women named Sue from LaZat at a nearby market. Once we arrived we then met up with the rest of the group that also reserved a spot for the class that day. In total there were 8 of us, not too big and not too small, just perfect size for our class. Our group was a wonderful mix of personalities. Two Aussies, two French women, two Sri Lankan men, and we Bees.

We toured around the Marketplace that we met at and were taken to various local marketplace stands that the cooking school uses to purchase all of their meat and produce from for the school. I wondered if we’d be bored by this tour because of all of the open marketplaces that we go to in S.Korea, however we were both pleasantly surprised and really intrigued with Sue’s explanation of ingredients. The most intriguing items were black eggs, black chickens that not only have black feathers but their skin, meat and bones are black too, a fresh coconut milk stand that processed in front of us, curries, various parts for sale from a goat, beautiful looking fresh fish, bread as thin as a crepes being made in front of us, and all the organic Malaysian produce that we cannot get in S.Korea or the states.

After the market tour we headed to LaZat. Mr. B rode in the school van and I rode with Sue alone in her car. Sue shared all sorts of interesting things with me about Malaysia, the cooking school, the marketplace and the Muslim culture.

When I arrived at the school I immediately felt at such peace with the property where the school sits on. It literally reminded me of a hillside that they carved out of the jungle and plopped their school on. Well.. to get all technical, that is what they did. Anyways it was so lush and green and the neighboring homes were built very open as well. While we were there we witnessed a monkey just climbing on into one of the homes. Could you imagine? I guess if you lived there that would pretty much be the norm and not as much of a giggle as we had.

Okay, okay…onto the cooking. The cooking space was open and exposed to the outside so it made it very bright and airy. It was Tuesday and on Tuesday’s they offer the Malay classic scheduled from 8:30am-2:00pm. On the menu was Kueh Cara Berlauk savory Meat Filled Cups, Sambal Tumis udang prawn in Sambal Sauce, Nasi Lemak rice in coconut milk, and Sago Gula Melaka sago Pudding With palm sugar. We really didn’t know what we were getting into when we booked this specific class. We saw the words meat cups, savory, and sweets and basically were sold.

HA-HA. Below is a more detailed description from the LaZat website because I am sure you are curious.

“Nasi Lemak – rice cooked in coconut milk (santan) served with sliced boiled egg, peanuts, cucumber and sambal sauce. Regarded as the national dish by all Malaysians.

Sambal – chilli paste mixed with shallots, garlic and added to prawns and other ingredients eg anchovies (ikan bilis).”

We cooked all of the meal in Wok or Kuali, a steel or brass pot. It was different because there wasn’t the standard pot handle that I am used to holding when I am string around my ingredients. We had to use another tool that reminded me of a clamp to keep the brass pot over the flame and sturdy while we’d mix what we needed to. We were advised right away not to touch these brass pots with our hands or fingers or we’d be in for a rude awaking. It’s such a habit to hold onto a handle, but thankfully we did it without any war stories to report back.

The class was led by a mix of Sue and Saadiah. Saadiah was a real pistol too! (She’s the one that requested the silly photos below). Saadiah would demonstrate what we’d be cooking first with the group, we get to taste it and see what it should resemble, then we’d all go back to our stations and prepare it of course with her assistance if needed. The entire class set up and timing was perfect!

Backpackbees

What do you think of our results? Not to toot our own horn, but beep beep… HA-HA! Luis gave us his stamp of approval when he picked us up from the class and we greeted him with our packaged up malay goodies. All joking aside, we highly recommend taking a class or two if you find yourself in Kuala Lumpur.

Address:

LaZat
Malay House at Penchala Hills Lot 3196
Jalan Penchala Indah, Kuala Lumpur 60000 Malaysia

+60 19-238 1198

Kuala Lumpur Day 3

I was pretty excited for the evening of day three because I knew that it consisted of sipping on something refreshing while taking in some the best panoramic night views of the city and Petronas Towers. Again, using my trusty, “36 Hours Travel Guide”, we headed off to the SkyBar. The Skybar is located in Traders Hotel on the 33rd floor and is a “Top 10 Must Do in KL Attractions”.The bar is open from 10am -1am (3am on weekends), weekdays are much more low-key.

Skybar is an open pavilion with swimming pool by day and a cool, sleek, sophisticated bar by night. One travel tip that I did take from my guide was to call ahead for reservations of the couches located right next to the huge windows that align the Skybar. Why? Just look at the views below. I really wouldn’t want you to miss out on the opportunity to have a clear shot. The dress code is smart casual, also known as genius casual for Mr. B (inside joke).

I asked our waiter if people ever go for a swim in the evening and was told that yes people do indeed swim in the evening, however never quite plan on that swim. Word to the wise, watch your step as you sip on those drinks. Luckily we three didn’t see any or plan on partaking in one of those unplanned swims.

Our intention was just to grab one drink, relax and take in the views before heading off to dinner. Well we got there and were memorized by the view and ordered mojitos that were oh so smooth…Yep, this place really Harry Pottered us right on into more drinks and a pre-dinner appetizer. Well played Skybar, well-played.

Now that we got to see the towers at night, I couldn’t wait to see them up close during the day!

Backpackbees

Could you handle that gorgeous views with a refreshing cocktail in hand?

Address:

Traders Hotel, Kuala Lumpur
50088 Kuala Lumpur, Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia

+60 3-2332 9888

Kuala Lumpur Day 2

Day 2 we woke up, ate breakfast and headed for Batu Caves. For the trip I used places and points of interest that my Uncle recommended from his recent visit to Malaysia, as well as my, “36 Hours Travel Guide” published by Time.

Ever since viewing the photos that my Uncle sent me, I was memorized by Batu Caves, Tamil: பத்து மலை. I knew it had to be on our list to see and do. Luis was our faithful driver and tour guide, he had already seen and done Batu Caves, but decided to join us anyways. All 272 steps up and all 272 steps back down.

In doing some research I learned that, the cave is one of the most popular Hindu shrines outside India. The limestone forming Batu Caves is estimated to be around 400 million years old. Some of the cave entrances were used as shelters by the indigenous Temuan people a tribe of Orang Asli. To be honest even looking at the photos now I couldn’t get over how small the place made me feel. The cave and steps leading up to it are just massive and endless.

Fortunately because my Uncle had recently visited, he let us in on the secret that once you climb up the first set of steps you might think that you are done, but ohhh no you are not…there are three more sets to climb if you want to get into the entire cave to see it all. I wished I would have remembered to grab my Fitbit off the charger before we had left S.Korea because I know we killed it on steps that day.

Outside of the Cave there the world’s tallest statue of Murugan, a Hindu deity. The status stands 140 ft and cost approximately 24 million Malaysian rupees. Murugan is made of 1550 cubic meters of concrete, 250 tons of steel bars and 300 liters of gold paint brought in from neighboring Thailand. WOW! Again with the feeling ever so small standing below or beside this status on the steps.

In respecting the Batu Caves Temples as a religious place of worship, there is a dress code to follow. Basically anything above the knee is not acceptable. Certainly not my white shorts that match my freakishly tall white legs. I had to pay a small fee to borrow a wrap to cover my legs to be permitted up the steps of the Cave. Once I got back I returned the wrap and was given my fee back.

We took multiple photos of the monkeys that live at the Batu Caves. Let me tell you, these monkeys have a prime setup with all of the tourist in and out of the caves. These little guys look so cute, but in reality these things are crazy! They swoop down so fast and grab anything that you’ve got in your hands. Bags, cameras, food, flowers, all fair game for the monkeys. We witnessed one monkey trying to take a yellow bag from a women and her husband as they tried to leave the caves. The woman made a huge commotion while flailing her arms and yelling, “NO!”. We then saw a small child with her parents carrying food that the monkeys immediately took without any hesitations. I read afterwards that these monkeys can be quite territorial and visitors needed to watch for biting. Again I read this afterwards. HA-HA so if you are visiting now you know before hand.

Backpackbees

Whew! That’s ALOT of steps! Do you think you’d make it up them?

Kuala Lumpur Day 1

For Memorial Day weekend we Bees hopped a flight to visit a friend in Kuala Lumpur. It took us 6 hours in total and we flew Malaysian Air. I was a bit uneasy at first when I realized we booked with the airline, however in the end we arrived safe and sound at KUL -Kuala Lumpur International Airport. It didn’t take much time to clear customs and grab our baggage before we met up and were greeted with a welcome sign from our friend Luis.

We loaded our baggage up in the car, the car with the steering wheel on the right side I might add. We three giggled about that car the entire time we were there. For only being there for a few months, Luis quickly got acclimated with driving on the opposite side of the road from S.Korea and the US. It was comical to watch Mr. B’s reaction sitting as a passenger on the left side of the car and not the right. At times it often feels like the car beside you is going to turn into you, or you see the passenger on the left side where we are used to seeing the driver absolutely not paying attention and you think, “Oh lord they are going to crash that car! Pay attention!!” Then after your short moment of panic you remember that the driver is on the right side and not the left. whew.

It took us about 40-45 minutes to arrive at Luis’s home in Damansara. Damansara is a central commercialized hub that houses several affluent residential areas. His home was located within walking distance to two large malls and multiple shopping complexes. Very convenient! We arrived just in time to see his neighborhood in the daylight and to watch the sunset from his balcony and gorgeous tall windows.

We got all settled in and decided we needed to grab dinner and drinks. We talked about our travel plans for the duration of the trip, as well as caught up discussing whats been going on in all of our lives. It was so peaceful sipping on our margaritas and people watching from an outdoor balcony that overlooked a twinkle light lit marketplace. I just sat back and took it all in! “So this is Malaysia,” I thought to myself feeling so excited that we were actually here.

Backpackbees

Do you have any plans for Memorial Day weekend?

More Weekending

Sorry for the delay! The past two weekends have been jam-packed with post op eye check ups for the Bees, baking surprise “Mac and cheese” and balsamic chicken for dinner, meeting up with Kelsey in Gangnam, repotting our herbs and house plants, a little reminder of America with a dinner at Chili’s, a nice countryside drive, “gorilla gardening”, a really nice leisure evening 5 mile walk, finally getting to see what creature makes the strangest noise in the early AM on the hillside out back of our place (spoiler alert, it’s a pheasant), exploring Pyeongtaek, getting to see and hang out at Kelsey’s humble abode while catching up over her recent trip to Japan (she spoiled us with treats too!)and of course ending it all with new flavors of potbingsoo’s at the Sulbing cafe while taking in views of the Ho Bar (no really that’s the name of it).

Here’s a smattering of photographs to share all the fun with you all.

Backpackbees

Address:

Sulbing

Yongho-dong: 창원시 의창구 용호동 73-24번지 2층
http://sulbing.com/

Delicious Post-op

What a delicious post-op we had this weekend in Gangnam. Surprisingly after living here over three years, we’ve never really ventured out in Gangnam. Kelsey met us before our eye appointment with plans to grab lunch together afterwards.

The weather was just beautiful! A perfect Spring day! After getting an all clear on both of our eyes we strolled around the main and back streets of Gangnam, with our shades on of course. There were just so many delicious choices! Eventually we settled on Indian.

Mano is an Indian restaurant with some Korean fusion. I think the photos below say it all. Spicy and delicious! We’d defiantly will go back in the near future for more. Plus I’m lusting over their collection of Le Creuset serving dishes. Just gorgeous! (On my wish list)

We had to take Kelsey to experience the cutesy Ann House Cafe. Her only request for this weekend was to enjoy Potbingsu before leaving on her holiday to Japan. We all ordered different versions of Potbingsu, butt spoons and all. Can you guess who ordered what?

Until our next post-op adventures.

Backpackbees

Directions:

Mano

By subway: Gangnam, outside Exit 4 of Sinnonhyun Station. The restaurant is on located on your left. 2F of 619-18 Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul

Phone Number: 02-568-2007.

Deliveries available: http://www.머노.com