We were supposed to head to Cherating for a vacation this weekend but the floods made the trip impossible. Thus, I re-booked for another date next year and here’s three (3) things we did instead:
1. Serai @ Empire
We were out at Empire Subang and were debating between Ole Ole Bali (her choice) and Four Seasons London (my choice – I’ve actually been to the one in London during my first Europe backpacking trip).
However, we saw this restaurant and my better half decided to eat here so I had the Middle Eastern Medley (RM 45). It’s described as Moroccan lamb shank cooked to perfection, served with spiced rice, cucumber raita and their signature Turkish Relish. I’ve always thought Morocco was in Africa but nevetheless, it tasted really good.
I liked their Pistachio Crème Brulee (RM 15) too! It comes with a scoop of ice cream with nuts at the bottom…
…and it’s plated for two!
2. Big Bad Wolf Sale 2013
We braved the throngs of people all heading to Mines last night. I saw a couple of nice coffee-table books like a comic called Commando that came out in the 1960’s. I remember buying and reading this in primary school. The pulp comic book sold for RM 1 and I’ll forgo my lunch just to get a couple of copies. The art was realistic and gritty and this 50 year edition had 6 collections with commentary for RM 20.
It’s a good deal, especially considering the quality paper it was printed on. I didn’t end up buying it though.
However, I bought a ton of other books. My dear bought some for herself and the kids too. I mostly went for hardcovers (which would go well on my bookshelf) but I also got this graphic novel by Neil Gaiman. It’s called Eternals, a Marvel property, and rewritten by Gaiman. It’s on the higher priced side at RM 25 but worth it to complete my collection. I’m a fan (of Gaiman, not Marvel) and I collect his works.
The other stuff I bought were stuff like special mission units (SAS, DEVGRU etc) autobiographies, which I’ve been reading a lot lately since No Easy Day by Mark Oven (pseudonym) about the Operation Neptune Spear. The author (real name Matt Bissonnette) was a DEVGRU assaulter who was the second person in and made one of the killing shots to the late (and great? ;)) Mr. bin Laden.
I also threw in some sci-fi and the witty novels that are so in vogue nowadays. I like the staff there, they’re really friendly and helpful but the announcer is a bit of an annoying personality, I could constantly hear him over the PA berating people for infractions real and imagined. 
3. Truffled egg
I have perfected my truffled egg recipe! It involves using white truffle oil to finish a slow cooked (indirect heat, much like the Poached chicken breast with beetroot and nectarine puree I did) scrambled egg with heavy cream, milk, salt and pepper.
It’s best eaten with summer truffle bread sticks. We had this for breakfast on Sunday. The French summer truffle bread sticks retails for over RM 80 per box (!!!). I got it for 80% off coz the use-by date was near though. I love our home cooked Sunday brunches. 🙂
I was supposed to visit BBW last weekend too, but my boy got himself viral fever, this has to stay put and look after him. The eggs are nicely done. I wish I can wake up early to cook a breakfast too. haha.
Hope your boy is better now mate! 🙂
I actually wanted to go twice to get some books I didn’t manage to get the first time but it’s over already. Or today is the last day.
Haha! It’s not early, we eat brunch at around 10 am.
commando? never heard about it..
I read archie, slam dunk, conan
Yes I also love Sunday home brunch.. but nowadays to LAZY to cook..
just head to the mall for BRUNCH….
I think it’s coz of our library! 🙂
Our comics are Dandy and other British classics. Commando sells at a local bookshop for RM 1 so I bought 2 every day. It was nice, WWII stories that are drawn nicely and has a bit of gore.
Yeah, sometimes we eat brunch outside too but cooking on Sundays is our ritual.
Wow Rm80 for a box @.@||| I also heard that the BBW opens 24hrs a day right? that’s amazing!
Yeah, it’s not cheap coz it’s imported from France! 🙂
Yup, it’s now open 24 hours a day while last year I think it was open for 36 hours straight but normal hours after that.
It has becomes quite a large empire.
You really got good bargain of books from BBWS! I bought boxes last year and I am worried about this year!
Serai is my family’s favourite dining place but the pricey menu makes me reluctant to frequent otherwise I would say they have the best local Malay menu with yummiest sinful cakes! Yum! Yum!
Haha! Yeah, we bought quite a lot too! 🙂
I remember buying boxes and boxes as well last time!
Yup, Serai seems to be a nice place to dine – good service, good food, but I agree, the prices are a bit on the high side – our bill came up to over RM 100+ with just a drink (RM 20 Serai iced tea with sorbet) but I guess you get what you pay for. We’ll definitely go back again.
I sure would want to try Serai next trip… Yum! Yum! My kind of cuisine.
It’s a little like Payung now I come to think of it! You’ll love it too, it’s not fake flowers, they have freshly cut flowers at each table! 🙂
Haha! It’s supposed to be an upscale Malay restaurant with Middle Eastern/North African influences and they do it well. The service is excellent and the lamb shank I ordered is really juicy and fall-off-the-bone tender.
We’ve passed it many times while at Empire but always went to another restaurant (heaps of F&B places there) until this weekend. Their menu is a bit on the high end though (drinks for RM 12 – the Serai iced tea with sorbet and my main was RM 45) but the food is good and lots of people seem to like it.
truffle oil is my absolute weakness. i’m addicted to its smell! :’D
the next time you’re at serai, you should try their molten lava chocolate cake. it’s one of the very few places (imo) that have it SPOT ON.
hooray for perfecting truffled eggs!!
I like the smell of truffle oil too! 🙂
Thanks for the tip about the molten lava choc cake. We’ll try it next time we’re there. It does look really good, we were tempted by the Nutella ravioli too but went for the pistachio creme brulee instead.
It takes me ages to cook the eggs coz I use indirect heat and my dear always wonders (out loud) why I need 30 minutes to cook eggs!
The four seasons in London is not that good compared to a few shops away called “gold Mine” the chef was originally from four seasons I was told. Nice truffle eggs.. Have a good week ahead!
Yeah, I’ve heard about the other place that’s better than Four Seasons London too! 🙂
I went to Four Seasons instead though coz the greeter snagged me first and I thought I wanted to see what the fuss is all about.
Likewise! You have a good week too Eiling!
Ohhh, tha lamb shank sure looks good. Would love to get a bite of this. 😀
Yeah, it’s really good, fall-off-the-bone good! 🙂
It’s quite reasonable at RM 45 for that much meat too, and it’s done in a style that’s different from “Western” restaurants, I loved the Middle Eastern/North African influence!
HB, I don’t think the Four Seasons in London has the same taste as the one in Empire Gallery.
The Pistachio Creme Brulee looks delicious, man! I wish my “someone close” would be willing to treat me to this dessert, lol! XD But yeah, swing by during the lunch break and you’ll see that there are lots of diners frequenting Serai.
Congrats on perfecting the truffle egg recipe! *winks*
Yup, the two places tastes different! 🙂
The same goes for Geylang Lorong 9 frog leg porridge too! I think the one in SS2 doesn’t taste as good as the one in the original Singapore branch (even though they source their frogs from Malaysia) and the other branches in Singapore doesn’t even hold a candle to the original Lrg 9 one.
Serai is always packed, which is why I didn’t want to wait and would prefer to dine at Four Seasons London, which doesn’t have a line.
Thanks for the truffled egg comment! It takes me 30 minutes to cook and egg. My dear always wonders why I take that long – it really does need indirect, super low heat!
1. I saw serai before but didnt go in. Thought its malay cuisine.
2. I saw The Eternal too but rm25 is still a bit steep for stingy me. This year their selection of graphic novels and the kids section are very good :). Yup…am very happy with the helpful staffs there too. Despite the stress they still managed to put on a smile and be courteous
3. pricey bread stick. Hmm…I wonder if you and your dear will come out with your own home made bread stick. Both of you are good in the kitchen. sure can create something good
Yeah, it’s actually Malay cuisine at it’s heart with a bit of Middle Eastern influences! 🙂
I was a bit hesitant to get it too! RM 25 is a bit much to be paying at BBWS but considering the original US price, it’s worth it. The quality of the graphic novel is awesome too and if it wasn’t for the BBWS mentality (everything should be cheap) I would have willingly forked the money over instead of having to think for a while. Haha!
We just got used to ultra cheap books.
We’ll try to make truffle bread sticks! It sure beats buying RM 80+ packs from France, which is over RM 8 per bread stick! Luckily we got it at 80% off coz the use by date was near.
Hmmmm…now I know why it takes so long for my egg to finish..hahah. I always love the eggs you cook for me,dear. <3 **hugs**
Thanks dear! 🙂
I love cooking brunch for you and I love that you always cook extra for me too! <3
Love you always dear!
This wolf really makes all book-lover go crazy.. haha~
Haha! Indeed! 🙂
It has quite a lot of books for a great price! However, a lot of it is rock bottom remainders – don’t have a lot of first edition hardcovers from the really popular authors.