Located on the quiet side of Persiaran Ampang lies a row of fine restaurants, and here sits Sapore. The restaurant borrows its name from Italian, simply meaning “flavour”. But do not be mistaken by this humble yet elegant Spanish-Italian restaurant as it serves artisanal food and fine wine ranging from their high quality jamon Iberco and unique tapas, to their suckling pig porchetta and iconic Iberico seafood paella. Continue reading
Along Hutton Lane, just along the outskirt of the UNESCO heritage zone of George Town, Penang in the historical Malay Millionaire’s row sits the refurbished Mughal inspired Jawi Peranakan Mansion جاوي منسيون. The boutique hotel is decorated with motifs of Anglo-Indian grandeur laced with intricate Mughal geometry. This restored building now houses one of the Penang’s latest offerings for that exquisite heritage hotel experience. Continue reading
There are few things in life that age like a good cheese, and only item comparable in a similar category would be a fine wine. For the longest time, wine connoisseurs from around the world know this to be true, that American wines can hold their own, if not, arguably stand out, against some of the oldest French wines. This happenstance came about as a result of the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976, famously known as the Judgment of Paris. Now, Treasury Wine Estates is bringing some of the American bests to the Malaysian shores. Continue reading
Ramadhan is the holy month for the Muslim people, where fasting is done from dawn to dusk. During this time, Muslims from around the world would fast as a symbolic remembrance of the suffering of others and as a purification of heart and mind. In Malaysia, it is common to see Ramadhan buffets peppered all over town to celebrate the breaking of the fast and one such restaurant is Enak. The Ramadhan buffet here serves a selection of traditional Malay cuisine with a contemporary twist, such as their Signature Bread and Butter Pudding with Gula Melaka. Continue reading
The holy month of Ramadan has dawned on us, and it is considered a good time for us to realign ourselves, count our blessings and to think of the less fortunate. For the duration of Ramadan, Sufiz Allatif and his team at Soofeast are doling out the goodwill by running a sponsorship drive known as “Sponsor an Iftar”. This is where you can contribute by donating a breaking fast meal, also known as buka puasa or iftar, to help feed the needy. Everything else is handled by them, from cooking to delivery, which you can request to attend as well. We speak to Sufiz to find out how this idea came about. Continue reading
Located on the quiet street of Jalan Ceylon sits one of the most understated Malay restaurant in Kuala Lumpur, Bijan Bar & Restaurant Fine Malay Cuisine. The restaurant served traditional Malay cuisine, but unlike many, with a touch of finesse. Bijan seeks to deliver an experience that is not very common, refined Malay dining. The dishes can be served in traditional sharing style, or if you opt for a journey of culture, the degustation menu. Their dishes range from the refined sup tulang sum sum, a modern take on the bone marrow soup to the use of the uncommon sambal hitam Pahang, a sambal made from belimbing buluh, a type of starfruit. Continue reading
One of the latest cuisines that has achieved international attention is the very delicate and light poké. This raw fish dish is normally served on its own, but is more commonly seen in its modern interpretation form, the poké bowl. This very light and healthy dish has its origins within Hawaiian cuisine, with culinary influences from the significant Japanese and Asian diaspora of Hawaii. We speak to some of the arguably best poké bowl eateries to learn more about poké culture in Kuala Lumpur. Continue reading
Chiang Mai is home to the ancient kingdom of Lanna, and is situated in Northern Thailand. With its very distinct culture, comfortable climate, unbelievably mountainous scenery and exotic food, you can see why it is known as the Rose of the North. The food in Chiang Mai is known as Lanna Cuisine, a type of food which is very distinctively different from the rest of Thailand. Because of its bordering of Myanmar and China, you see a very distinctive food culture which borrows from its northern neighbours and how all these amalgamate and produce what we know as Lanna cuisine. Continue reading
Hidden in plain sight in the Wat Ket district of Chiang Mai lies a 140-year-old Thai teak wood home which has been repurposed into one of the most splendorous boutique hotels in the heart of Chiang Mai, the RarinJinda Wellness Spa Resort. The picturesque spa hotel takes its name from the Thai language and means “Jewel on the Water”, and is located on the riverbanks of the Ping River overlooking the Doi Suthep Mountain. It is with these factors that make it one of the most idyllic places to pamper yourself. Continue reading
Located within the recesses of One Utama shopping complex is a restaurant that seeks to deliver a unique experience, Marco Creative Cuisine. What is unique about this place is that they aim to serve fine dining quality food at an affordable price. The 7-course dining menu starts with an amuse-bouche and ends with a nice cuppa joe, and can be experienced at the very reasonable price of RM78. Continue reading