I knew I wasn’t going to find these specialties at your local Malaysian restaurant, so instead I took myself on a lunch date to Old Town Kopitiam in the QV centre in Melbourne’s CBD. Straight from the get go I knew I’d found the place to indulge in my rose milk drink passion. Right behind the bar was a wall wide display of cans containing all the key ingredients for a good Malaysian cafe drink. Milo, Horlicks, evaporated milk.. and loads of grass jelly.

My rule for ordering drinks in any Asian eating establishment is to try the version with as many things in the description that I’ve never heard of and can’t pronounce. It’s like playing roulette with your palette. It doesn’t always work out but when it does… oh boy! And that’s how I met the Rose Milk drink with Grass Jelly and the simple and yummy, Kaya Toast.  These are two perfect snack partners, and with Old Town being located right above all the QV shopping boutiques, it is the perfect mid afternoon solution for me.

Given that I can’t live on bread alone, I also ordered a couple of main dishes for lunch to perk me up. A chicken with “red sauce” and fried chicken with jasmine rice and a papadum on the side. Notice the Indian influence? I sure did when I tasted the red sauce! The serving size was quite generous for the $9.00 price tag, but like all food that is served within one minute of you ordering it, isn’t really the freshest. The chicken with red sauce was quite delicious, a nice mango and chilli tang on whole pieces of chicken on the bone. I’ll admit I’m not sure I really got the full experience of that dish as eating chicken off the bone with chopsticks is a little beyond my skill level and eating with my hands is a total no with my nails!

The fried chicken, I’m sorry to say, was a sad disappointment. I hadn’t realised at the time of ordering that these dishes were pre-cooked, and hence quite dried out and unappetising. Compared to the Ayam Kapitam fried chicken I’d had during a previous dining experience, this just didn’t make the grade and I left most of it untouched.

Even though my main meal was somewhat disappointing, those two treats that had drawn me to Old Town, the Kaya Toast and Rose Milk drink, were exactly what I needed.  Combined with the decor, certainly the best I’ve encountered on my Malaysian Kitchen experience, I could see myself heading back to try out the rest of the drinks menu.  I’d like to try their cook to order menu and compare that to the quality of the ready serve, but I’m only going to do that if I happen to be at QV on foot. Why? Because the parking at QV is $20 for an hour! So if you’re looking for a yummy way to round off an afternoon’s shopping, I’d suggest grabbing a bite of Kaya toast and playing drinks roulette at Old Town Kopitiam.

Restaurant – Old Town Kopitiam Mamak, Level 2, Shop 11, QV Square

Ambience – Great, modern decoration with authentic touches including the wall display of milo and horlicks tins! Clientele of shoppers and students on breaks.

Average price for mains – $11.00

Value for money – Okay. Given that the quality of the ready serve was on the not so flash side of things, that may balance out with the cook to order. For entree, drink and main serving for one it came to $17.00. More than I’d like to pay for a simple work day lunch, but that does include a $4.00 serving of Kaya Toast.

Pros – Fantastic drinks menu and great classic snack and breakfast foods like half boiled eggs and toast.  Really nicely decorated, spacious and good service.

Cons- Remember some of the menu selections are ready cooked, so if you are eating later in the day between main meal times as I did, it may not be the best.  Parking at QV is $20 per hour, so this is one place best visited on foot.

(Thanks to Miss 7 for her photo skills in this portrait.)

The one overriding thing about this particular restaurant was the level of service – exceptional!  The staff were so friendly and attentive, paying attention to everything and anticipating your needs. It is a slightly odd, but good combination of one step above a cafe vibe, but not full on restaurant; yet the wait staff’s level of service would have been quite suited to a good restaurant. Certainly better than I have encountered in some of the more expensive Melbourne restaurants for sure.

The choices and selections of food were ample, with a more true Malay and also Indian influence rather than the often seen Chinese. But the measure of a good Malaysian restaurant is it’s laksa.

Mmmmm… good! Really fresh ingredients, nothing watery or frozen; moderately spicy and with a perfect combination of seafood that wasn’t all filler.  The only thing I felt was missing was the ginger flower I’d been spoilt with at Laksa Me at the beginning of this taste journey.  This Laksa was rich and full bodied, but was missing that vibrant lift that the ginger flower gives.  But at the end of the day, each dish ordered was tasty, well presented and quick to arrive. Combine that with the affordable price point, $60 for four people, the great service; and I think I may have found a new local favourite!

It was the little things about Malaysian Kitchen that really impressed me. The waiter that brought new chopsticks before they’d even hit the ground, the tea was refilled before any indication was given, the staff smiled and were genuinely happy; and then to top it off.. they were playing music by Bobby Darin!

Restaurant – Malaysian Kitchen, 920 Doncaster rd, Doncaster

Ambience – Warm, friendly, relaxed; like a great street cafe you’d find on holidays in Malaysia. Excellent staff!

Average price for mains – $17

Value for money – Tops! A really great dinner for four for only $60. Fast, friendly service and even good music. It has a bar and serves good coffee. One of those great places to go with friends after a movie and hang out till all hours.

*Super Kawaii Mama dined as a guest of The Malaysian Kitchen program. All reviews are conducted on a fully transparent, non-paid, no obligation basis. *

When I first began this Malaysian Kitchen Ambassador program, I remember saying something about being all inspired to cook more. That hasn’t changed, but then again, neither has my punishing schedule which is why there is still no food in the house.  After a huge weekend away in Sydney for the Fifties Fair, I came home and hit the ground running without a moment to stop for breath let alone a loaf of bread. When Monday night rolled around and the girls looked at me with hungry eyes, I knew it was time to hit up a Malaysian Kitchen to save me from their appetites.

The last adventure at Penang Inn was moderately successful in terms of getting them to eat dinner. But I did recall that when we’d taken them to Singapore earlier in the year, they’d eaten so much of a certain style of fried chicken I thought they’d burst. I had no idea what it was called, but the hunt was on to find it again.

Heading out for dinner on a Monday night isn’t always advisable, as it turns out that there are a lot of places closed. My lack of preparation was entirely apparent as we drove around, list in hand awaiting an open sign. While the children nawed on the head rests, we pulled up to Rasa Malaya, a simple strip-shop front with only one other customer in sight.

During the drive around I had called ahead to book us a table, and now upon entering, saw why this was funny. This is not the kind of joint you book for, more of a friendly drop in for locals who like me, never stock the pantry.  We were quickly shown to a table and given polite, perfunctory service – no frills.  But all of about 2 minutes later, the food appeared! Considering we were nearly falling off our chairs with hunger, this was an impressive feat.

Wanting to create one of the simple Singapore dining experiences we’d recently had on our family holiday, we chose Chicken Rice, Chicken satay (honestly – these kids and their ‘chicken on a stick’!) Ayam Kapitan (that amazing kind of KFC like fried chicken), a lamb curry with naan bread, and for desert a coconut based creation called Chendol.  Of course we all laughed about eating a “Ken Doll” for dessert, ’cause that’s what you do when you’re 4.

But honestly, the food was great. Fast, fresh, delicious, inexpensive and a typical no-frills hawker style experience.  It is the kind of place I’d go back to over and over for a fast and satisfying meal that will keep me out of the dog house.

Restaurant – Rasa Malaya 272 Blackburn Road, Doncaster East

Ambience – Dark, rudimentary hawker style type of set up. Authentic and traditional Malaysian dress worn by the serving staff. If you’re bringing children and plan on enjoying a leisurely dinner, make sure you have your phone stocked with kids games. They’ll eat and finish so fast you have to keep them entertained while the adults linger.

Average Price for Mains-  $13.00

Value for Money – Very good. The value was great, as was the taste. The super fast service is the perfect solution to when you think you need fast food, but want something with far more substance and loads more flavour.

My tummy says – Thumbs up! Don’t eat alone though as this is food made to be shared.

From the Press Release-

“Alison Waters of The Waters Group has developed an exciting opportunity for discerning tea drinkers to join David Zhou at the Melbourne Central Oriental Tea House, and introduces Candice DeVille; Australia’s premiere vintage stylist. Candice will  present a truly memorable and authentic Yum Cha High Tea workshop. In a New World twist on an Old World tradition, Candice DeVille will guide you through the etiquette and elegance of a vintage Yum Cha Tea Ceremony with all the charm, flavours and delights of East meets West.

 Experience the time honoured traditions of the tea ceremony in this afternoon workshop, set in the fragrant ambience of the Oriental Tea House’s vintage Shanghai vibe.  With a banquet selection of Yum Cha morsels and a superior selection of teas, this exclusive offering is a feast for the senses.

You know all those gorgeous advertising images of the perfect 50′s housewife? She’s all smiles standing in the kitchen presenting a perfectly trussed roast to her smiling family, all whilst standing in her gleaming kitchen of perfect pastel hues.  You probably think that’s me right? Honestly; it couldn’t be farther from the truth. I really wish sometimes that I was that woman (although I’d much prefer the cook she has hidden in the background), but I know that my passion for cooking has reached a diabolical low this year.

When I was in high school, I loved eating so much that my girlfriend and I would skip classes. Not to sneak out and smoke behind the bike shed like all the rest of the’ naughty’ kids, but to drive down the road to our favourite Thai restaurant and gorge ourselves on Pad Thai and Green Curry Chicken. In fact, I was so enamoured by Asian food that I learnt to cook my Thai food from scratch. No pre-made pastes, but everything ground by hand, spices lovingly simmered to release their flavour. These days the only thing I seem to be simmering is that old standard spaghetti bolognese; and for someone who adores great food this is a sad indictment indeed.

The upshot of this lacklustre attitude has been that we are eating nasty take out more than ever before and I’m struggling to keep my waistline under control. But there is a light at the end of my uninspired tunnel.

Malaysian Kitchen Australia! I can’t even begin to describe how excited I am about this (but I’ll give it a red hot go). In a nutshell, I’ve been given the enviable opportunity to take myself and the Mr out on date nights to all kinds of Malaysian restaurants around Australia and experience the taste sensations! (Gaaah!!) This is perfect for my asian cuisine loving palate because Malaysian cuisine draws strong element from Chinese, Thai and Indian cooking – all in one.

Last Monday we set sail on our culinary adventure with a trip to Laska Me in Liverpool street, Melbourne; (This is actually a little laneway of Bourke street if you’re wondering) and it was a total revelation. Together with Miscellaneous Mum, Cest Christine, Hey Bambini, Carly Findley, Kylie Clark and Writing Loud, I shared the most extraordinary meal. Now, I’m no fabulous food blogger with a wonderfully descriptive gastronomic vocabulary; (I was once known to describe a wine to the winemaker as “sunshiney”), but I’ll do my best.

The entrees were a total surprise, and one dish in particular knocked my socks off! Presented in a shot glass was a single raw oyster immersed in the most incredible herbaceous sauce. Now this may seem a little greedy of me, but I would bring back every oyster loving person I know, and buy the restaurant out of these babies. They were transcendent!  When your poor mouth has sadly gotten used to well below par offerings from your own kitchen, this was like a fireworks display for your senses.

As each dish was presented, the aroma of lemongrass, star anise, coconut and galangal was a heady perfume. It seemed wrong to just eat and talk, and I found myself solemnly choosing each bite with a conscious effort to capture the magic potion that had created it. I can’t really understand why food and I have made strangers of each other this past year, but that evening in Allan Woo’s restaurant, I realised that it was like my palate had been in mourning.

At the close of the meal over tea and sago pudding (why hello!), Allan shared his story with us, and brought to life the tale of Malaysian cuisine and its origins. I sat glued to his every word as he told the history of the country; tales of lust, drama and intrigue. Tales of a country born from many, born from camaraderie and fraternal interests. He told the tale of a young many from a Malaysian village who had come to study in Australia in 1988 and fallen in love with creating the magnificent.

Laska Me is no ordinary, serve it up, push them through, take the cash, kind of joint. It is a hidden gem in the heart of Melbourne, where the chef is a magician and the kitchen team, his apprentices. I didn’t just discover a dish or two I loved, but I rediscovered a passion from which my family will now benefit.

Restaurant – Laksa Me, Shop 1, 16 Liverpool street Melbourne.

Ambience – Simple, cafe style.

Average price for mains – $20.

Value for money – Excellent. Quality ingredients, beautifully presented (not what you’d expect from first look at the simple decor), diverse and delicious menu selection to keep everyone happy, not just standard fare.

My tummy says –

*Super Kawaii Mama dined as a guest of The Malaysian Kitchen program. All reviews are conducted on a fully transparent, non-paid, no obligation basis. *

I’m told that George is well known for his thumping blues on the streets of Melbourne and I’d love to see what this guy could do on stage. In 2004 he won the Australian Country Music Busking Championship at the Tamworth Country Music Festival, so clearly his reputation proceeds him.

As I stood there mentally counting the cash in my purse, I was torn between not wanting the song to end and dying to get my hands on his latest CD. But I did wait, and I did pick up George’s new album entitled “Sliding Days”.  And in a rather contradictory fashion, I then rushed right through the mall not even hesitating at the sale racks, just so I could get back to the car and immerse myself in what he had to offer.
To listen to more of his tracks check out the George Kamikawa MySpace page

Yes this is a bit special. The story goes like this..

My lovely girlfriend Bernie Dexter, who aside from being a stunning pinup model, is also a cracking designer of vintage inspired fashion. You’ve seen me wear a number of things from her ranges before; including cute 50′s capri pants and retro dungaree jeans. But just before I took off for Thailand, she sent me this STUNNING water lilly dress from her latest range! It is made of a mid weight cotton with a rear zip and a tie up halter neck.  The bust is a gathered inset section and the print is a “water” print, in that it looks like blue ripples on a lake. The skirt of the dress is lovely and full so it is perfectly cool for hot summer days and just delightful in these tropical surrounds.

Anyway, when I knew I was heading to Thailand I promised her I’d take a few special outfits appreciation shots of this fantastic dress. Little did I know that the resort I would be staying at actually had a water lilly pond! Serendipity if you ask me.  So I paired the dress with an inexpensive pink rose clip I found at a roadside stall, and a cute pair of floral print wedges I’d bought for the trip ( super cheap at $29 from Betts). What I adore so much about Bernie’s dresses is that not only is the fit incredibly flattering on a range of figure types, you really don’t need to accessorise at all. Just pop a dress on and you’re good to go.

All of the fabrics she chooses have such interest and movement in the print, that they speak for themselves.  These are not bad mood dresses, they are not high maintenance dresses (I wash mine in a wash bag on delicate in the machine). What they represent to me is the very best of what everyday fashion is relearning from the 1950′s. That a simple cotton dress, well made with femininity in mind, is the one step solution to a glamorous day.

The good news for my Australian readers is that thanks to a little girly pow wow between friends, my lovely sponsor MisKonduct Klothing is now stocking Bernie Dexter‘s range here in Australia!! That means quick  and inexpensive shipping, easy returns and being super swanky is just a local click away.  Size wise I find that if you consult the measurement charts on Bernie’s site you should be good. As they are a cotton and have no stretch, you want to make sure that you get a friend to measure you up so you know your correct size. I always recommend having a (discreet) friend do this for you once and then write it all down for late night shopping indulgences. Make sure to measure everything, including the drop beneath your bust to your natural waist line – you never know when you’ll need the measurements. (Even more so on 50′s styled dresses where you want to be sure they sit on your natural waist and not above) I generally wear an Australian size 8-10, so the small Water Lilly dress fits me perfectly.

If you love it as much as I do and have any questions, please feel free to ask away in the comments section. After all, a gem like this is too good to keep all to one’s self.

Knowing that the day was going to involve a whole lot of walking, I planned an outfit that was as cute as it was comfortable.  My fabulous new wedges seen in this outfit post are from Novo.  The skirt I bought specifically for the trip from Forever New just before I left, knowing that it would go with about 10 different tops I own. This little red and white top with the petal bust, is one of my new favourites from Miss Hussy here in Melbourne.  A little red angora cropped sweater from Friends of Couture over the top, kept the chill of the air conditioning at bay. And yes, my camera bag ( from photo jojo) does match the rest of my outfit!

We started out shopping odyssey at ION Orchard as it was just opposite where I was staying in Singapore. Valerie took me to New Look, which over the two floors it occupies, had such a range of outfits and accessories that we both found a whole lot of pieces we loved. In fact, I actually found the cutest 1940′s styled shoes that were so incredible I was doing a little happy dance and went and bought three pairs! (Yes, you’ll see them in another post of shopping haul highlights). Both Valerie and I are mad for accessories, confessing to each other just the extent of our collections as we continued to add to them that morning.

I loved these sparkly bracelets. They came in the most beautiful colours, but sadly I couldn’t get any of them on even though my hands are pretty small, so I left it to Valerie to indulge here.

Given that we are both beauty addicts we’d planned to spend quite a bit of time in Sephora looking at all the cool things you simply can’t get here in Australia. I know it isn’t very sophisticated but I had to know what the Hello Kitty perfumes were all like. This range just won “Best Baby Perfume”… babies wear perfume? I didn’t know that!

Although I’m not a big fan of the fragrance, the new flocked bottles in Gwen Stefani’s L.A.M.B perfumes were too cute!

I’m always torn between spending my money on things that are just cute for cutes sake, even if I know I won’t use them.

I love the way here in Singapore, blogging is just so common that no-one raises an eyebrow at camera antics in store. I do always check with staff if I’m allowed to take photographs though as there is a lot of concern over V.M concepts (and other ideas) being stolen which is far enough. But no matter where we went, if we weren’t the ones taking the photographs, there would be plenty of staff ready with their camera phones and a smile wanting to pose it up.

I was like a kid in a candy store in Sephora, filling my little basket with sparkly treasures. It is total…

Yup – that’s that one!

After I’d given my credit card the speed wobbles in Sephora, Valeria took me over to Bobbi Brown to play with a bunch of new products.  The staff there were simply delightful and we all had a ball playing around in store with different looks, swapping tips and beauty secrets.

All of this shopping and laughing did make us a bit late however, for the next event. We headed out to the Nuffnang Singapore Glitterati Plus event that was being held to mark the new year and a fun way for lots of local bloggers to get together.

Dr Leslie Tay of I Eat I Shoot I Post, was there to speak and share many of his blogging tips as well as his new book. So although we weren’t there in time for the games and guests speakers, we did get a chance to catch up with other local bloggers and a number of fans for yet another photo opportunity. We bloggers are curious creatures and we love an opportunity to get together and discuss our “craft”, as unlike so many other professions, you don’t have colleagues to chat to every day. Many popular bloggers also have full time day jobs, (Dr. Leslie is a family GP) but for me whose other work also tends to be locations based ( as you know I’m a model and hair and makeup artist as well as all the writing) I treasure the chance to catch up with others who do what I do.

After all these adventures I’d promised Valerie we’d get together and I’d show her the ticks of the trade to create my hair and makeup look.  So we set up in my hotel bathroom for a bit of a session, and with Mr SKM holding the camera, set to the business of filming our shenanigans. It is lucky I’ve got a steady hand because we were laughing so much it could have been a disaster!

Here is how the lovely Valerie turned out after a quick 30minute hair and makeup session together.

After finishing off her lovely 50′s styled face, Valerie challenged me to see what I could do with her hair in two minutes. So even with super straight hair, a couple of bobby pins and a few deft moves later, she was ready to head out for dinner.

If you’d like to see and hear all the craziness we got up to, you can see Valerie’s post and video tutorial of the event here.

What a HUGE day! I can’t thank my Singapore friends enough for being so wonderful and hospitable. I always love finding new stores and making new discoveries, but new friends are the best thing of all!

]]> http://www.superkawaiimama.com.au/2011/02/13/shopping-in-singapore-with-dweam/feed/ 20 http://www.superkawaiimama.com.au/2011/02/08/food-glorious-food-and-a-little-fat-tummy-pt-1/ http://www.superkawaiimama.com.au/2011/02/08/food-glorious-food-and-a-little-fat-tummy-pt-1/#comments Tue, 08 Feb 2011 09:52:51 +0000 Super Kawaii Mama http://www.superkawaiimama.com.au/?p=6751 Before I begin, a warning.

This post will make you hungry, very hungry. It will also make you very thirsty. And it will make you hate being just about anywhere else in the world but here. I’m sorry.

So the very first day I’m in Thailand and already I can’t wait for Happy Hour to begin.  Given that Phuket is four hours behind Melbourne, I figured it was fair game to break out my first Mai Tai at 9.30 am… that and I’d been up with the children since dark o’clock.

Deciding to brave the tourist trap that is Patong Beach, we headed to the beachfront restaurant which was recommended by our cab driver as having incredible seafood.  Although the seafood was good, I think it may have been the kick back he was no doubt receiving from the restaurant that was incredible.  The drinks on the other hand, seemed to be more their specialty. I wonder if this is because the typical customer is a sun soaked, beer drenched punter stumbling in like a lobster from the sand….? Either way, when I received my blended coconut drink it was pure heaven. Blended coconut, that is coconut milk, meat and ice blended together like a slushy; and it is an OMG moment.

I cannot remember what Mr SKM was drinking. I only know that it came in a glass with boobies and a big butt. So classy.

Evenings weren’t all waterside dining, as after taking small children on big adventures, we were lucky to make it to room service.  Prawn skewers, Pad Thai noodles and a cold Asahi beer are the perfect end to a perfect day.

Breakfast buffets and I have a love hate relationship.  I always adore the selection of food, but feel guilty if I don’t try everything. I always began the day with a small bowl of congee (rice porridge) which is one of my favourite foods, so that I didn’t feel disloyal. Then I’d move onto sampling something from the breakfast menu of each continent.  This is another thing I love about breakfast buffets in hotels; the way they cater to such a variety of nationalities and their breakfast habits.  It means I get to try things I usually wouldn’t and generally end up expanding my breakfast repetior when I get home too. Hence, I began this particular morning with a very American breakfast of waffles, pancakes and berries all covered in maple syrup and chocolate sauce.  Can I hear you say “Diet Death”! Woo!

Eventually,we had the opportunity for one child free dinner and went somewhere just for grown ups. The Andaman Grill at JW Marriot on Turtle Beach. I’m telling you where this is as, if there is any chance you ever get to Phuket, you MUST go! Not only is the aspect totally gorgeous, the food was unbelievable!

To start with, we were greeted with a sample selection of the seafood on offer.  My Australian readers will be all too familiar with prawns, given that they are a staple of all entertainers at special events. But even for we Antipodeans who are used to really large prawns (‘Shrimps’ for the Americans), these babies were altogether another alien creature.  Check out how big these are next to Mr SKM’s hands!!

The first course was a mixed seafood tasting platter, quite delicious. But what came next was almost embarrassingly delicious.

This (not perfect iPhone picture of) my Swordfish Steak, was the most INCREDIBLE steak I have EVER eaten.  It is possible that there was a little moan emitted from our table at the moment I took the first bite of this.  This moan may have been followed up by sighs of rapture, closed eyes and effusive compliments to the chef.  I do recall at some point saying, ” You could feed this to a Texan and they wouldn’t know it was fish!”.

So yes, I liked the fish.

After all that, I’ve realised that I have a veritable slew of food photos and stories, so I’m going to break this up into two posts. Next up Singapore; but before I go one more drink.

Coconut juice with a tequila shot sinker! Tee hee…

Happy Lunar New Year! It’s Year of the Rabbit this year and Singapore is in full Chinese New Year swing!  We’ve been feasting it up, shopping for new year clothes and wallets, enjoying all sorts of customary activities and getting appropriately fat!

Given that this is one of the few days of the year that nearly all the stores are closed, we decided to save today for a family visit to the zoo. Of course there are SO many photos of that I’ll be saving that for a super sized up coming post, but for today here’s some new years wishes from me, my family and my cute bunny friends!!

Xx

If you’re wondering, today’s outfit comes courtesy of my 14 year old self.  That is… it is a dress my mother made for me when I was 14 and I’ve kept! Worn with pewter ballet flats for all the walking, a red stretch elastic belt and red roses in my hair from Bexterity.  Miss 3 and Miss 6 found their outfits at Tesco’s in Phuket as they prepared for the festivities ahead.  I don’t think we’ve ever been stopped for so many photos in our lives!! If we could have charged per picture we would have paid for the whole holiday! LOL.

And yes, that is a cuddly white rabbit in my hands. His name is ‘Carrots” and I just had to take him home with his crazy cute eyes. ^-^

HAPPY NEW YEAR!