Two birds with one stone

eating-raw-octopus

I’m very adventurous when it comes to food. Heck, I’m pretty adventurous with just about anything. I heard that the local delicacy in Korea is live octopus so I was DETERMINED to try that when I went to Pusan, Korea a few months ago. 

octopus-korea

What happens during the Dining Experience (TM) is that the person (wo)manning the octopus counter takes out the tentacle waving creature of your choice and quickly chops it up. It is drizzled with sesame oil and dried seaweed. You’re supposed to eat it straight away. 

slicing-octopus

I’m not too sure about the anatomy of octopi but it was still moving a good 10 minutes AFTER the woman murdered it. I’m serious! Tentacles were twitching and the suckers were still half heartedly trying to grab onto some fish (or whatever it is octopus eats).

Our Korean translator Kim (who is Korean) wouldn’t even touch it until we persuaded her to. She is aware of the dish, obviously, but she was just concerned about eating it. It’s not just coz of the geli factor but amongst her stated reasons was that a host of bacteria and other disease transmitting vectors could be in the octopus, since it’s raw.

You wouldn’t want to get a case of E.Coli or some rare form of toxin poisoning from stuff eaten by the octopus before it was brutally slaughtered.

octopus-squirming

Well, this is why you need a health insurance plan. Or better: A health insurance plan with INVESTMENT benefits!

Ha! Not only are you covered for hospitalization but you’re also making your money work for you AT THE SAME TIME! How does that sound?

(I know it sounds like I’m an insurance agent but wait!)

It sounds like a win-win situation to me. Haha! Honestly, I love these investment insurance plans. You get covered AND earn a bit of money while you’re at it.

It also benefits you by giving you money back with the No Claims Bonus if you’re as healthy as an ox!

condo

I think the best part (and what differentiates it from the regular PruHealth plan) is the investment aspects since I’m really trying to save up to buy my own place. Paying RM 1,300 for a studio unit doesn’t exactly make financial sense when you can dump in a down payment at a place where you like and buy the thing for about the same amount each month.

The PruBSN Takaful Health rider makes really sound financial sense though. Health and insurance combined. You know that saying? You can be the richest man in the world but if you’re not healthy enough to enjoy it, there’s not much point right? This puts both into a single plan. Check out the Prudential BSN Takaful Health for health and investment all rolled into one!

It’s always better to chuck your savings into investments like this, you can get much more from compounding interest than if you just stuck it in savings. You don’t even need to be Muslim to get on it πŸ™‚

Come hell or high water…

infinity pool

There is a swimming pool on the top floor of the studio where I’m staying, along with gym facilities and a Jacuzzi but I always come home from work too late to use it. I’ve been packing on weight like it’s going out of style for the past few months and decided that I could do with a bit of regular exercise. 

infinity pool view

The infinity pool is really a too small to get proper laps done though, perhaps tomorrow I’ll go to the gym for some proper cardio on the treadmill before jumping into the water.

I’m trying to establish if there’s any truth to the (well accepted) axiom that regular exercise reduces stress. πŸ™‚

Porridge and chicken @ Kawan, Seremban

seremban porridge stall

I was told there’s this popular chicken rice place that’s only open from 6 pm – 8 pm in Seremban. It’s supposed to serve a mean bowl of pig innards porridge and mighty fine chicken. It usually sells out at around 8 pm so you have to go there early.

kawan seremban

I headed down with Caydence’s family before I had to drive back to KL. The place was packed and the stall was chopping up chickens like nobody’s business. Okay, their business anyway. πŸ˜‰

seremban porridge display

Look at all the pig offal displayed alongside the chicken!

seremban porridge serve

They also serve normal chicken rice but what this stall is famous for (it’s the only stall in Kedai Makanan Dan Minuman Kawan) is their pig innards porridge. It was dished out into bowls and plastic bags for those wanting a pack to go.

seremban porridge chicken

The chicken is pretty decent but I prefer Kee Kee Bentong Chicken Rice.

seremban porridge

However, what makes this place special is eating the chicken WITH the pork innards porridge. It even has some crunchy bits on top to add texture to the congee.

seremban porridge sesame oil

Splash some vinegar and sesame oil on the congee and you’re in for a real treat!

seremban porridge us

There is a reason why this place is very popular in Seremban – their porridge is infused with the essence of delectable, and eating the chicken with a mouthful of hot congee with bits of pork intestines sticking out is a very different experience.

I love it and I don’t even like porridge! πŸ™‚

Curry Laksa @ Asia Laksa House, Seremban

asia laksa house

I was brought to Asia Laksa House for some Curry Laksa while I was in Seremban. This place seems rather popular with the locals and I was told it has the best curry laksa in Seremban.

restoran asia

Asia Laksa House is the flagship stall of Restoran Asia. The place was packed when we got there with the lunchtime crowd.

seremban curry laksa dry

You can opt for the dry version which comes with a topping of minced meat (didn’t even know there was such a thing as dry curry laksa)…

seremban curry laksa

…or the regular version with rice vermicelli (that’s bee hoon).

seremban curry laksa mixed

I went for the large curry laksa with noodles mixed with rice vermicelli and optional egg and clams. Now, the best thing about this place is the prime piece of chicken they chuck into your bowl. I ended up with two coz Caydence’s mom gave mine hers.

seremban curry laksa large

The chicken is tender and flavorful and I like the clams that goes into the gravy. It’s rich, creamy and goes very well with the noodles. There is also an egg if you go for the works. Curry laksa with chicken and cockles and egg costs RM 4.80 here – a lot less than you’ll be forking out in KL.

seremban curry laksa stall

The Curry Laksa at Asia Laksa House does brisk business and it’s no surprise for they serve some really good curry laksa. I even finished the thick gravy.

seremban curry laksa caydence sis

This is Caydence’s sister. Her super tulan face is probably coz I took over her bedroom for the night. Kidding! πŸ˜‰

Seremban Beef Noodles

seremban beef noodles stall

Ask anyone what Seremban is famous for and you’ll get a unanimous answer – beef noodles. Seremban beef noodles is unlike any I’ve ever had, it’s made using different noodles and has a lot of frills to it (the down-to-earth kind of trimmings).

pasar besar seremban

The penultimate (wah, damn a lot of hyperbole in this post) Seremban Beef Noodles is located at Pasar Besar Seremban.

seremban beef noodles

It’s unfortunately numbered 748 which translates to “go die la” in Mandarin. This is the original stall – the Genesis of Seremban Beef Noodles, if you will.

seremban beef noodles caydence

This photo fake one. Caydence doesn’t eat beef (or anything else for that matter) so I ended up eating both bowls.

seremban beef noodles soup

There are dry and soup versions of Seremban beef noodles. This is the latter. I like the broth but it doesn’t have the oomph of the former.

seremban beef noodles dry

The dry beef noodles on the other hand is fucking awesome. It contains generous portions of beef (various cuts and even innards) mixed with noodles and topped with a special black sauce sprinkled with sesame seeds and peanuts.

seremban beef noodles macro

I think the brilliant bit about Seremban beef noodles is the texture of the assorted offal of beef combined with the noodles and the Crunch Factor (TM) of the peanuts.

seremban beef noodles caydence me

I highly recommend you detour into Pasar Besar Seremban when you head down (up?) to Seremban. The beef noodles alone is worth the 40 minute drive.

Of course, if you have *cough* other incentives *cough* to drive there, then all the better. πŸ˜‰

Seremban Siew Pau

caydence seremban

Caydence, the self-dubbed Princess of Seremban, brought me around her hometown for a food tour – the best of Seremban’s offerings. It is rather ironic considering that she doesn’t eat that much to begin with (understatement of the century). We went to three places, two of them with her folks who insisted on paying for everything and even bought me Seremban siew pau to bring back.

seremban siew pao

Seremban Siew Pau is a crispy BBQ bun filled with pork goodness.

I remember someone saying that you can get Seremban Siew Pau in KL now…

…but nothing beats the real thing sourced from Seremban.

seremban siew pau

I wholeheartedly agree!

The Seremban Run

seremban run

It was about 11 pm when I made an impromptu decision to drive down to Seremban with my friend (who shall for the sake of this post remain nameless coz it is too damn complicated). Friday night is DUI night, but I managed to tail her car for the entire 1 hour trip without any mishaps. πŸ˜‰

seremban room

Ha! This is where I’m staying. It’s her sister’s room and I really, really like it.

seremban stuff

At the same time I felt really, really bad about crashing at her room. I’m scared of messing it up she seems like such a neat freak. >.< I am a really messy person by nature. *makes mental note to fold the sheets after I wake up*

seremban bed

Thanks for the awesome hospitality!

seremban ticket lost

The only bad part of the trip? Losing my damn PLUS ticket stub and having to pay RM 53.60 at the Seremban exit. They must have calculated the trip from fucking Johor or something.

Okay, am going to go out and eat all the Seremban food that you suggested!!!

:) :) :) :) :)

I take this as “sending a lot of goodwill”.

I thought it was a bit excessive at first but it works very well in conveying positive intentions.

Oh, how the youths of today have evolved into a wondrous generation, one that I wish I was part of, as many trillions of people before me has longed for.

No, I am not on drugs.

This is what old school blogging uses to be.

Pure streams of consciousness.

Old skool like flirting on SMS. πŸ˜‰

Coz, you know, we have IM, Twitter and all that now.

End verbal diarrhea.

Alaskan King Crab and Snow Crab in Korea

Alaskan King Crab korea

I had a laundry list of Things To Eat (TM) when I went to Korea last year and one of them is the famous Snow Crab. We stumbled upon this place that serves just that and another delicacy – Alaskan King Crab

Alaskan King Crab start

It’s a veritable Korean King Crab Experience! =D 

Alaskan King Crab aquarium

Well, if you didn’t know, the reason Alaskan King Crab fetches such exorbitant prices is due to its unique place as one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. 

Alaskan King Crab pick

Alaskan King Crab fishing that is, not that being a crab is particularly perilous, though I wouldn’t know, being homo sapiens instead of a crustacean.

One cold autumn night we decided to make a trip out of it and ordered several kgs of Alaskan King Crab and Snow Crab for dinner. 

Alaskan King Crab weigh

The place just pulls the crab you want out of the aquarium… 

Alaskan King Crab boil

…weighs it, 

Alaskan King Crab preparation

and proceeds to boil it wholesale.

Alaskan King Crab prawns 

Unlike other Korean eating establishments we have been to, this one serves premium banchan (side dishes) like prawns and mussels.

Alaskan King Crab banchan

They even have clams – it’s all seafood inspired. 

Alaskan King Crab fork

You use scissors and a special fork to dig out the good parts of the crab but for the Alaskan King Crab, you can practically just dig in with your fingers! 

Alaskan King Crab scissors

I shit you not, this has gotta be the best crab I’ve ever had in my life. It’s just boiled but the photo of the tender, flavorful and squirt-in-your-mouth juiciness of the sweet crab meat is making me salivate like Pavlov’s dog right now. 

Alaskan King Crab claw

The Alaskan King Crab is so HUGE you can just insert your finger into the thoughtfully prepared crab and dig out all the sweet juicy meat. 

Alaskan King Crab

I cannot describe the taste with mere words, pictures or videos. It’s a nibble of nirvana for anyone into seafood. It’s a crab unlike any other – sweet and creamy due to the large proportion of fat in the Alaskan King Crab. 

Alaskan King Crab flesh

I literally ate a whole bucket of it. 

Alaskan King Crab bucket

Anyway, there was this (rather drunk) aunty from the table behind us who pointed out the error of our ways and kindly offered to help us cut the legs of the crab…before proceeding to force-feed me physically. I feel so violated. T_T 

Alaskan King Crab auntie

Alas, a stranger in a strange land and the local womenfolk took advantage of me! >.< 

Alaskan King Crab shochu

It should be noted that if you’re at risk for heart disease or stroke, you should not enter the premises under any circumstance. You’ll have a cardiac arrest when the bill arrives. I think we each paid around RM 300 in the equivalent of Korean Won for that crab dinner but you know what? 

Alaskan King Crab eat

It’s worth every single fucking cent!

Armpit psychology: How to tell someone they have bad BO

bad bo

I have a friend who has really bad body odor. Let’s just call him Harry for the sake of this post. The worst thing about it is that he seems completely oblivious to the fact.

 

One day, Harry found a bottle of deodorant on his desk. Harry was naturally puzzled by the sudden appearance of an anti-perspirant on his desk. He did not recall buying it. He’s a firm believer in not using body hygiene products, not even soap. He’s not a big fan of showering too, for that matter.

 

He went and asked everyone in the office. Did anyone accidentally misplace their deodorant? Has anyone dropped a bottle of anti-perspirant somewhere?

armpit odor

All he got was averted gazes and downcast eyes.

 

Flummoxed by this response, he went back and thought for a bit before the proverbial light bulb went off over his head.

 

It did not belong to anyone else in the office. People got distinctly uncomfortable when he waltzed around asking if anyone lost their bottle of anti-perspirant. He also recalled a few incidences (it was actually more than a few, but he had selective memory) where people complained about odiferous smells but stopped when he got within earshot.

bad bo oblivious

Come to think of it, he also remembered people discreetly breathing out through their mouths, innocently putting a finger over their nostrils as if concentrating on his words and generally trying very hard to stay upwind of him whenever he was around, usually with greater intensity strongly correlated to his distance to the people in question.

sanex deodorant

He got the hint. He quickly slipped the bottle of Sanex dermo invisible Anti-Perspirant Deodorant into his bag and started using it every the morning. It was better than other deodorants as it respects and protects his skin instead of just deodorizing it. It minimizes white marks on his clothes too so no one would know he’s using it.

 

It was a happy ending.

sanex end

People stopped having sudden bouts of sinus problems and stuffing tissue into their nostrils and all’s well that ends well. Harry says the truth is out there.

THE END

 

Ending credits:

Cast:

sniff armpit

Harry             Poh Huai Bin

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