马年大丰收！:)

This CNY will be a pretty different one for me, the newly married woman. I'm gonna have to split my time between two homes, eating two different type of cookings (three actually), and no more Ang Pows for me, in stead I have to give Ang Pows out for the first time!!! Well, interestingly, I'm quite excited about that! :p
Anyway, before I go into a busy mode, I would like to wish all of you, my family, friends and readers A VERY HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!!! 

新年快乐！
万事如意！
步步高升！
龙马精神！

Great Coffee @ Epiphany Coffee & Tobacco, Oasis Square

I was introduced to Epiphany by Lea, who wanted to bring us there earlier when we went to Oasis Square for dinner at Bad Boy Cooks before finding out they are close every Monday. But after that I got curious and visited the cafe with Deardo on a quiet Saturday and since then, I've been there quite often, either with Deardo or with the bunch of colleagues.

Well on my first visit, the cafe was very quiet, just the way I liked it. You order your coffee (or tea) at the counter where the coffees are mostly at RM10 and above, but there is a service charges! Then you just sit down and they will serve you your drink!

Instructions for first timers.

Very simple decor and quiet if there are no crowd.

Since I've mentioned I have been visiting the place quite often, I'm sure you know that means we love the coffee there! :p The coffees, as stated in their menu, come with two shots of espresso, tastes smooth with a tad of sour taste in it. Very satisfying if you ask me! I certainly love it!!! They have this Marshmallow Latte thingy which sounds very interesting but I've yet to try it, fearing that it may be too sweet to my liking. But I shall try one day! *wink~*

I've also tried their Rubra's tea and I love them too!!! So soothing and oh love the aroma of it!!! A very good choice if you want to avoid too much of caffeine. 

Cafe Latte, RM10

Cappucino, RM10.

We also tried the Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake during the first visit but I personally thought it was just okay. I tried the Hazelnut Torte after that and I really prefer that than the Peanut Butter Chocolate.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake, RM10.

Of course, by now the little cafe has become quite well known and it is always crowded especially on weekends (Of course the best thing is Oasis Square is currently still parking fee-free)! And that's where the problems come... The cafe is super noisy because of the lack of sound-proofing at the coffee machine's area. The coffee-making are way too loud, plus all the talking of the people in the small cafe, gosh it can be super noisy!!! I also have a little problem with coming home smelling like cigarettes because their main door is always not well-closed. 

One of our favourite coffee hang-out places nowadays! 

The artsy photo. :p

So obviously, I love the place heaps. And since it is closer to home, free parking and with no problem finding car park spaces, it's really been one of our favourite places for coffee after brunch or dinner! But I won't go there too much during peak hours. Oh yeah, they have also recently started serving hot food and according to Lea, they are actually not bad too!
Overall, I shall just say Epiphany Cafe is still a must try for coffee lovers out there! :)

Epiphany Coffee & Tobacco 
D-G-06, Block D, Oasis Square,
Ara Damansara 2, Jalan PJU 1A/7A,
47301 Petaling Jaya.
Tel: 03-7859 9998

Your Favourite Local Dishes with a Twist @ Wondermama, Bangsar Village

Situated right next to Plan B, it is pretty hard to miss Wondermama as it is right in front of Bangsar Village 1. The entire design is very vintagy and old school, in a Malaysian way I must say, including some of the cool decorations used in the restaurant. Seems like concept is such an important thing in restaurants and cafes nowadays isn't it?

Blackboards all over!!!

Quite a cozy restaurant I must say.

Look what they use to put up their special promo!

Their simple menu with some hidden gems inside!

Concept aside, the selections of food in the menu also look pretty exciting! You will notice it's a mixture of fusion to Western dishes. So when you order a local dish, do not expect it to come just like the ordinary ones that you normally have.

My Special Maggi Goreng, RM14.90.

BIL's Nyonya Laksa, RM13.90.

Deardo's Nasi Lemak 4.0, RM17.90 and yes there are Nasi Lemak 1.0-4.0! 

SIL's Creamy Butter Chicken Burger, RM14.80.

My Special Maggi Goreng was although oily, which is quite normal, was really delicious with a fried egg, very fresh Sotong, Prawns and even scallop! It has a 'special' in the name for a reason okay! I tried the Nyonya Laksa's soup and it is pretty 'kaw' too, while the Nasi Lemak 4.0 is quite average, although I love the Sambal heaps! The Creamy Butter Chicken Burger was also quite a creative and yuimmy one, with the butter chicken very nicely done. Only complain? A bit difficult to eat since the chicken wasn't a flat piece of patty. 

Mari Mari Fried Squid, RM 15.90.

The Mari Mari Fried Squid (I'm assuming it means Calamari in a funky way) that we had to share was my ultimate favourite. Not only was the batter and squid were good, the way they mix them with some crunchy Chili Ikan Bilis added such a brilliant kick into the dish! Well done to whoever created this dish! :)

Cham Ice with Kopi Jelly, RM8.50.

I also love my Cham Ice with Kopi Jelly heaps! The Cham was 'kaw' enough to my liking yet not too sweet, with a balance of both coffee and tea flavours and the grass jelly was so huge I thought that was cute! LOL! And best of all, it was served in an old school steel mug! How cool! 

Complimentary Tang Yuen since it was Winter Solstice! How awesome?

We didn't have any dessert but I heard their Cempedak Cake is pretty nice too! 

Jolie also had the Wonder Kids Set at RM12.90.

Us enjoying our brunch while Jolie got really amazed by her first Yakult of her life!

All food, including two drinks, plus government tax and service charge, the bill came up to RM123.75, still quite reasonable, especially for Bangsar area. I didn't think their service was that fantastic though, I think most of the staff need a little bit more of training. But overall I love the food and the entire ambiance of the restaurant. I'm definitely going back, and I'm actually going back this weekend! Can't wait to try out other dishes!!! 

Wondermama

Bangsar Village 1 (G6),

Jalan Telawi, Bangsar Baru.

59100 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-2284 9821

Answers to Movie Cravings

After what seems like months of zero movies, I'm finally catching-up with some movies! More excitedly, some of them are movies nominated or winners at the on-going award season! A big YAY for that! :D
Without further ado, here are they:

Her
Director: Spike Jonze
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Rooney Mara, Olivia Wilde, Scarlett Johansson
Synopsis: Set in a near future, Theodore is a sad and lonely divorcee (whose job is to help people write lovely letters) who fell in love with Samantha, a voice on an operation system that could grow from what it was first programme.
The Thumb-Up(s): Seeing Hearing Joaquin Pheonix and Scarlett Johansson having sex through voices was really really weird (especially in the cinema, duh) but I totally love the cool and creative idea of the movie! I know it sounds sick and insane, but I believe such software is quite possible in the future! And I love the fact that although it involve hi-tech stuff, the movie is still entirely set in a normal world, not outer space with random alien and stuff!
The movie was beautifully shot and oh, it's easy to explain why it has been winning Best Screenplay awards! Man those words that came out from Theodore's mouth are real killers man! Of course, I'm also very addicted to the beautiful song, The Moon Song! :)
Acting wise, Joaquin and Amy Adams were really good while Scarlett Johansson... Well you can't beat that voice to be Samantha man! Too sexay~!
The Thumb-Down(s): So if this is happening in the future, why do we need someone to 'write' letters with hand-writing printed on paper? Why can't we just e-mail? Logic failed.
The Verdict: A very simply produced movie with a huge creative story line with some good actors. Truly worth watching!
4.5 out of 5

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
Director: Ben Stiller
Cast: Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, Sean Penn
Synopsis: Walter Mitty has always had daydreams of crazy adventures but has never done so until he decided to travel to Greenland, then Iceland to find out a missing piece to save his job.
The Thumb-Up(s): The movie carries a great message of encouraging people to go out of their comfort zone and go on to explore the adventure out there. It was also shot beautifully with breath-taking sceneries which makes you just want to fly to Greenland and Iceland right away! Despite minimal airtime, Sean Penn's appearance was simply flawless as Sean O'Connell, the explorer and made quite an important addition to the movie.
The Thumb-Downs(s): Sorry Ben Stiller, the only thing I really hate about the movie was you. It was just strange seeing you so serious! It should have been somebody else playing Walter Mitty.
The Verdict: Great movie for people of all ages with little bit of humour but yeah, still cannot get myself to buy Ben Stiller, the serious guy.
3.5 out of 5

Last Vegas
Director: John Turteltaub
Cast: Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Kline
Synopsis: Billy, Paddy, Archie and Sam are four childhood friends who are now old enough to be grandpas. One fine day Billy called and informed the guys that he is getting married so they decided to make a trip to Las Vegas and throw him a bachelor party.
The Thumb-Up(s): Come on, you have to agree that it is such a joy to see these great senior actors working together! They are perfectly perfect!!! No doubt! And when I thought this would be another plain comedy, the movie surprised me with really moving storyline - husband and wife relationship, friendship, father and son relationship and romance. They gives you this messages that might change your perspective on life, while making you tear a bit looking at them. And watch out for some famous celebrities making their cameo appearances!
The Thumb-Down(s): Ok fine, it is more like an older version of Hangover, only with better actors and better messages.
The Verdict: While the movie really does seem to lack a bit of a 'best movie material', it was really entertaining and moving.
3.5 out of 5

American Hustle
Director: David O. Russell
Cast: Christian Bale, Brandley Cooper, Amy Adams, Jennifer Lawrence, Jeremy Renner
Synopsis: The movie is about a con couple Irving and Sydney. They fell into FBI agent, Richie's hands when he asked them to help scam some politicians so he could be the hero.
The Thumb-Up(s): No doubt, David O. Russell is a genius in putting up such a strong cast who gave stellar performance in the movie. Personal favourite? Christian Bale, for a change of his normal roles! Jennifer Lawrence was really good too but I really think she was just playing herself! Ha! Amy Adams was good but, personally think it was not fantastic enough for an award.
The Thumb-Down(s): Honestly, I don't see why the movie is such a big hoo-hah! It's pretty simple you know! And really, 70% of the movie are of shouting and yelling it's so depressing I don't understand why it is categorised as 'comedy'.
The Verdict: Watch it for the cast and that's it.
3 out of 5

The Wolf of Wall Street 

Director: Martin Scorsese
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie
Synopsis: Based on a true story, the movie tells the life of Jordan Belfort, then a successful share broker.
The Thumb-Up(s): Well, the movie is very vulgar, both visually and verbally. But that really means real entertainment! It's just very crazy that you couldn't help but laugh! Leonardo was outstanding in the movie, so did some other actors who did really good, e.g. Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, Matthew McConaughey and Jean Dujardin! Those were really some great acting, especially the very young Margot! I'm truly impressed!
The Thumb-Down(s): Really? Three hours? Do we really need a Bollywood movie to tell the story of Jordan Belfort?
The Verdict: Highly recommended but you really really need to be patient. LOL!
4 out of 5

Out of the five, three of them are Oscar's favourites. Out of the three, Her is definitely my personal favourite, especially for Best Screenplay and Best Original Song, although I wouldn't mind if Happy from Despicable Me 2 wins! :) Can't wait any longer to watch 12 Years a Slave and Philomena!!!

Comfort Food at an Affordable Price @ Bad Boy Cooks, Oasis Square

The colleagues and I recently sort of go out for dinner after work or weekends, followed by coffee, quite often. I think sometimes it's just to distress and catch-up, but sometimes also to celebrate some special occasions. :)

The FANTASTIC FOUR as my models. LOL!

Well this particular visit to Bad Boy Cooks wasn't for any of the above reasons I guess but I was pretty excited to go out with them after a few days of absence at work because of some bloody mosquito!
The restaurant has a very American fast food restaurant setting, despite not serving fast food and isn't self-service (phew for that~).
A first glance at the two-pager menu kinda made our jaw dropped a bit because of the economical price! Until the food were served, we understand why they are so cheap - the portion are not as big as what you normally get from other restaurants around town. 
Anyway, here are what we ordered that night at starters...

Chili Nachos, RM6.

Tempura Mushrooms, RM5.

Comfort Chicken, RM6.

Country Mushrooms, RM6.

Bad Boy Chowder, RM6.

Italian Tomato, RM6.

Oh yes, I know they look like a lot of food. But we did so because the portion was small and they were cheap! Personally, I prefer the Tempura Mushrooms over the the Chili Nachos simply because of the flour and the sauce that came with it. We actually only ordered three soups, but ended up with all four that they offers in their menu because their Comfort Chicken Soup tasted really burnt so we asked to change to the Bad Boy Chowder, which was not too bad. The Country Mushroom was quite average but I like how they actually use Oyster Mushrooms and Shitake Mushrooms instead of normal button mushrooms! I like the Italian Tomato a lot but honestly, the texture makes it looks more like Sambal or something...
As for mains...

 Lea had the Super BB, RM18.

Maddy's Fried Chicken, RM10.

June's BB Dog at RM9.

My Grilled Chicken at RM10 too.

Jason's BB Bessie, RM9.

Bad Boy Cooks is actually better known for their burgers and hotdogs but I think I made a right choice by having the Grilled Chicken which I had with Mushroom gravy. It is however quite uncommon to see mushrooms sauce comes with yellowish colour and with oyster mushroom but taste wise, quite decent. Maddy's Fried Chicken was not up to her expectation, probably because we were all expecting like American style Fried Chicken than a piece of chicken that looks more like the Fried Fish in Fish n' Chips!

Those who had the burgers and hotdogs were pretty happy with their meal, which is a good thing! But yes, I could see why they only had one complain - some gravy to make them not so dry please!!!
I wouldn't say the food was fantastic, not when we had some burnt soup on our table! But honestly speaking, for that price, the food were quite decent. Plus, we actually enjoyed some of the dishes! Because of the usage of a lot of uncommon ingredients, especially oyster mushrooms in almost everything, I would say it served more like comfort homey food than real American-styled food. And compare to a lot of famous restaurants these days that serve dishes that are often too complicated, this place is definitely a breath of fresh air!

Photos from Lea's phone, if you notice they look different than the rest! :p

Bad Boy Cooks
Lot R-07 Central Piazza,
No. 2 Jalan PJU 1A/7A,
Oasis Square,
Oasis Damansara,
47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
Tel: 03-7832 3969

Anyway, we had great fun at Oasis Square and I personally love that area a lot. We visited the place quite often after that not only for meals but for some awesome coffee at one of the cafes which I'm gonna blog about later.

Still a very quiet and comfortable place with free parking still at the moment! :)

Cream of Broccoli Recipe, etc

I've been wanting to try making some cream soups ever since we got our blender few months back. So Cream of Broccoli was my first try and I did it pretty much according to this recipe found online. Only differences: I skipped the celery (because people in the family are not a fan of it) and I didn't follow the exact amount stated in the recipe cos you know I just prefer it freestyle. :p

Since you can find the ingredients in the website, let's start with the cooking, shall we?
1) In a pot, melt some butter under small fire.

2) Now add in the chopped onion (make sure it's yellow or white, not red onion) and simmer till they turn brownish. 

3) Pour in the broccoli and fry them a little bit.

4) Now add in the chicken broth (you can use pre-packed ones or you can make your own like me, just boil some chicken bones with a little bit of salt). 

5) Now let it boil until the broccoli turn soft. 

6) Then pour the soup into a blender and blend well. You should be able to get smooth texture of the soup by now. If you are using a blender like me, you will need to only pour halfway full and make it 3-4 times to finish blending the whole pot. Otherwise you can use a stick blender to blend your soup right in the pot itself (providing your pot is not the non-stick one).

7) Now in a smaller pot, melt some butter over medium to small fire.

8) Then add in the flour and stir.

9) Now pour in the milk and continue to stir until it forms a starch. 

10) Stir the starch into the soup evenly, if you have problem dissolving it like me, you can do it over a small fire. Add salt and pepper to taste.

And yes you are done! Served with bread/garlic bread or in my case, sourdough bread and yummmzzzz....

Personally, I find the recipe super duper simple! Too simple that I don't think I want to order any Cream of Broccoli at any restaurant anymore, thinking that I can easily make an awesome one cheaper at home! The soup was a success in terms of taste but it was a failure with the starch because they just couldn't dissolve into the soup so I ended up having pieces of starch in my soup!. I think the next time I make this I will skip the entire No.7 onward and just add cream! That will be way easier!
I love the soup (Lil' Yue Yue a.k.a Jolie was basically addicted to the soup when we fed her with this) and will definitely make it again someday! :)

Here are the rest of my other random cooking that I bother to snap photos of:

I call this Roast Chicken Breast with Cheese over Sweet Potato Leaves, Served with Ham & Egg Couscous. Very easy to make yet it looks like super gung-ho! LOL!

I call these cleaning-up-the-vegetables-in-the-fridge-lunch box! Yes my Romaine Cabbage and Avocado were rotting so I made couscous and salad for a healthy yet super filling lunch to eat at work!

Fried Bihun with Fish Sauce! Did this because I don't feel like having black coloured fried Bihun! LOL! It tasted great though! Had it for dinner and lunch next day! Home-cooked lunch FTW! :D

Our very humble and quiet Winter Solstice dinner for two: Stir-fry Chicken, Potato and Mushrooms with Dark Soya Sauce and Stir-fry Mixed Vegetables to go with 10-grain rice. No Tang Yuen afterwards though... :(

Pan-fry Pork Shoulder with Creamy Curry Mushroom Served with Fresh Mint Mashed Potato and Stir-fry Okra. The Okra aside, the creamy curry mushroom was created by myself, by simply adding in cream and curry powder after drying the mushrooms! The Fresh Mint Mashed Potato was from some recipe book I have at home and gosh that was so yummy and refreshing!!! Certainly a dinner that we enjoyed heaps! :D

Hungry yet? Time for dinner yaw~! :p