Poolside BBQ Party

I absolutely adore cooking and love experimenting new recipes and constantly seek new inspirations to try out new recipes. To complement my hobby, I always tell Skipper that our new home have to be fully equipped with functional yet cutesy kitchen wares and I had always picture that my dream kitchen has a white-orange hue.

I find myself obsessing in the colourful Kitchenaid blender that cost around RM 2799, cool looking Brabantia dustbin that cost around RM 499 for the smaller version and those pretty stuffs from Pantry Magic KL store. Speaking of orange hue, I had that inspired because of that-last-Prada-tote-in-papaya-orange-color-that-KLCC-store-have-to-bring-in-from-Bangkok-because-only-4-in-Malaysia kind of dilemma. And it was all sold out in Europe.

Ok, actually orange hue because it is supposed to whet appetite and add zest in your life. Something to do with feng shui....................and Prada tote.

On the last day of Raya holiday, another bunch of friends decided to have a BBQ party. We tucked in relish because there was so much food, but it is holiday which means our diet is on a vacation too!

I prepared two salads and brownies for desserts.

Almond and walnut galores! Ok, no kitchenaid mixer yet.

My first brownies attempt ever! Served with a dollop of vanilla ice cream.

Orange-Zucchini Salad

Watermelon Salsa with capsicum, tomatoes and mint leaves.

Looks what's grillin'!

We had tonnes of nyums!

Innovated cheesy balls!

Next, looking forward to a long-due Nasi Lemak Party!

La Risata, Damansara Heights

Instead of our usual cookout party during festive season, this time my bunch of friends agreed to go italian during the recent Raya holiday. No one decided to head out from the city fearing getting stuck in jam so all we can possibly do is have fun in the city. We decided on La Risata, the dudes suiting up in their best style and us dudettes pumping up the night in our killer heels. Although the restaurant is casual at its best, somehow it is nice to have everyone dressing up together just for the fun of it instead of not trying it at all.

It was my second time dining in this outlet after a year and I still have the same opinion on this restaurant. Raved among the best italian restaurant in town, I would rather think that the pizzas here mesmerized me the most compared to the pastas. The pastas here are decent but could had been better. The pizzas here are innovative and if I could ever award La Risata for something, it was having the most delectable pizzas which are robust in taste.

Complimentary bread basket with olive paste

Insalata Peperoni Arrostiti E Mozzarella (RM 18)- Mixed Leaf Salad, Roasted Red Peppers and Mozzarella with Anchovy Pesto Dressing & Croutons

Insalata Dea (RM 22) - Dubbed the 'Goddess Salad', it is green leaf salad with grilled chicken, olives, roasted red peppers and celery with creamy herb dressing and croutons

My top pasta choice of the night: Capellini Al Nero Con Frutti Di Mare (RM 35) - Angel Hair Pasta with Prawn, Squid and Roasted Cherry Tomatoes in Squid Ink Sauce

Spaghetto Con Arragosta (RM 38) - Spaghetti with lobster, garlic, tomato, chilli and olive oil

House Specialty: Spaghetti Alla Risata (RM 36) - Mixed seafood in a hearty tomato sauce and baked in foil 

Spaghetti Polpette Di Carne (RM 26) - Spaghetti with gourmet meatballs in tomato sauce

Pizza Galore!

The two pizzas for the adventurous, Pizza Romano and Pizza Carbonara. 

Pizza Romano is definitely my kind of approval, it was decked in various cheeses, showered with my favourite basil leaves, lathered with lovely tomato paste and strong savoury pungent taste from the anchovies.

Pizza Carbonara, not Pasta Carbonara was an unconventional pick for the night and we love it too!  

Pizza Romano (RM 28) - Anchovy, Fresh Basil, Tomato, Mozzarella and Parmesan Shavings

Pizza Carbonara ( RM 28) - Beef Bacon, mushroom, mozarella and parmesan

The conventional pick if you are less adventurous.

Pizza Hawaiana ( RM 24) - Grilled Chicken Breast, Caramelized Pineapple, Tomato and Mozzarella

Pizza Chorizo (RM 28) - Lamb Chorizo Sausage, Grilled Peppers, Olive, Chilli Flakes, Tomato and Mozzarella

La Risata,

128 Jalan Kasah,

Medan Damansara,

50490 Kuala Lumpur.

03-2095 9572

Lunch: 12 - 2.30pm

Dinner: 6.30 - 10.30pm

Burger-licious and Laksa-licious, SS15, Subang Jaya

Behold, the best street burger I had discovered so far. Located in the bustling area of SS 15, the burgers here are perfect for quick munchies that will successfully pleased your growling and howling tummies.

Menus list are easily read, hung all around the little truck, with pictures big enough to actually make your wait  feel like an agony. To add to your misery, there are almost 20 selections for you to make.

But it is alright to go through that agony for a while. 

Burger Special RM 3.80

It is so bloooody good! Such sloppy tasteful mess with the lovely runny egg. Me and my partner-in-crime (click!) felt like we had a food-gasm. So good that I would actually go back religiously to have it whenever I can.

Walk about 100m down the road to Asia Cafe, which business are always better than brisk. Another amazing discovery, "Penang Ayer Itam Pasar Asam Laksa". I got hooked to this particular laksa stall for the past few months, and introduced it to my partner-in-crime and she agreed that it was a near reminiscence of the one she had in Penang. (She spent a year or two working on the island previously, she is a asam laksa-fanatic like me too!)

 My checklist for a good bowl of asam laksa:

1. Slippery and soft thick rice noodles. Too hard or too soft noodles is a No-No to me.
2. Thick broth with a well balance of chunky and fine fish pieces in it. Diluted laksa is a No-No to me.
3. Pungent broth and not to spicy nor too sour.
4. Well-garnished

The one here was garnished with bunga kantan too. Sold at only one standard size at RM 5 per bowl. Don't be too surprised to find a number of Asia Cafe patrons ordering this asam laksa!

The Burger Shop at SS 15,

Opposite Silva's Mamak Restaurant,

Opened from 6pm to 4am daily, except Sunday

Penang Ayer Itam Pasar Asam Laksa Stall,

Nearer to the side of Starbucks Coffee,

Asia Cafe, SS15,

Subang Jaya

Jyu Raku, SS 15

Jyu Raku Japanese Restaurant is a place that holds special memories for me, beside the commendable food. Skipper brought me here for our first Valentine together back in 2009, had Chinese New Year lou sang gathering with close friends this year and recently, treated my parents to the sumptuous meal here and I am glad to say they loved it very much.

Set portions here are worthy of occasional splurge, and definitely tummy-approved. No need of further elaboration, good food always looks good in pictures and lets the photos do the talking! 

Saba Fish and Sashimi Set

The obligatory close-up

Sashimi Set

Grilled Salmon Set

Side Order - Baked Potato with Mentaiko [Spicy Cod Roe] (RM 12)

 I get really excited spotting any menu with mentaiko in any restaurant.

Patrons would be delighted to find that set meals during lunch time are relatively RM 5 to RM 10 cheaper than dinner team, even on weekends! Various set meals, are prices from low RM 30 to high RM 80 and there are so many options for you to select from.

Jyu Raku Japanese Restaurant,

13, Jalan SS 15/5A,

47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor

03-5633 3819