Valentine's dinner at Zakka Loft

We didn't plan anything for Valentine's dinner this year. Hubby just came back from a business trip and was tired. But we made it a point to have a special dinner together. We went scouting for a restaurant around Bandar Baru Medan, hoping to find a good restaurant with decent price and not too crowded. 

First stop, Food & Desire.. heard it serves great food here. But we had no chance at all that night. It was full and even though we saw a few empty tables, it was also fully booked. Saw my friend having dinner there and was told that she booked her table 2 weeks earlier! >.< Then, we went to check out a few restaurants along the same row of shops. Hmm.. maybe Japanese or Korean? We tried Michelangelo's pizzeria, no luck. Although the boss told us the waiting time is only 10-15mins, we were too hungry to wait. 

So we hopped in to Zakka Loft opposite the pizzeria, which was quite empty. I thought, why not? I ate here before. The food is not too bad. It's just that the menu does not have much varieties. Zakka Loft serves some healthy drinks and mostly bentos. Hubby ordered a chicken curry bento and I order smoked duck toast. I did not like my food at all. The only thing I like was the nachos that serve as a side. =.=' The salad taste funny to me with sour plum powder and the taste did not match with the smoked duck. The toast was slightly burned and the smoked duck was too dry. I had to 'steal' my hubby's curry sauce to eat with the toast. Hubby said his bento was not bad. Next time, order bento to be safe. 

Smoked duck toast at around RM16.90 (can't remember the exact price)

The restaurant was decorated like a playroom. There are carrom (strike & pocket table game), jenga (wooden block stacking game), card game and this on the floor which I forget the name. 

wall decoration

When we first stepped into the restaurant, we didn't know where to sit. The layout was a bit confusing to me.. there are big tables which can fit in 10 people and low coffee table with sofas. There is not many table for 2 so we opted for a big table with high chairs so that we could eat comfortably. 

Overall..it was Ok. After all, we just wanted to fill our stomachs and had some time alone since it's Valentine's. *wink*

obligatory selfie of the day

Zakka Loft Cafe opens every day from 1pm to 11pm except on Mondays. 

Address : 2, Jln Medan Ipoh 1C, Medan Ipoh Bistari, 31400 Ipoh, Perak.

Tel: 013-4888503

Up-close with nature

I like nature but the hot weather in Malaysia makes it hard to enjoy outdoor activities. I hate to be sweaty and the scorching sun in the afternoon. However, it was a pleasant day when we visited The Haven Lakeside Residences and Taiping Zoo 2 weeks ago. There was little sun and it didn't rain either. 

We stopped by at The Haven for a short while before we headed to the zoo. The place is exactly like what it was advertised on billboards. The limestone hills surrounding the residences are so awesome. It is so peaceful and calm standing there, enjoying the picturesque scenery. 

Taiping Zoo is about 1 hour drive through the highway. It's wise to arrive at the zoo early if you want to see active animals because most animals will probably be sleeping in the afternoon. (that's what we experienced during the previous visit) 

We managed to see quite a handful of animals that were very active and interactive as well. The elephants were playful and were taking bath in the pond. It was fun watching them played. We saw a pair of Orang Utans. One looked like meditating at a corner and the other was resting on the tree. From their looks, I think the one on the tree is a female. Look at the hairstyle!

The tigers were sort of like giving a performance as they were swimming from one side to the other side of the pond in their enclosure and then, walked up the hill and then, back to the pond again. This routine was repeated many times by 2 of the 3 tigers. They were not afraid to show off their swimming talent. It was excited to watch them. =) 

I love to see the sun bear the most. It walked toward us thinking that we had food in our hands. My husband would really love to touch it if it wasn't for their sharp claws that looked really dangerous. We tried to make it to stand up and raise its hands so that the crest is shown. It did! But I wasn't fast enough to take photos. What a pity...

We also saw giraffes, zebras, camels, hippopotamus, crocodiles, monkeys, birds and a lot more. I think this is the best zoo to visit in Malaysia. Not that we have a lot. There are only two zoos and the other zoo is in Kuala Lumpur. I haven't been there since primary school. I wonder how it is now because I heard a lot of bad reviews about it. 

Taiping zoo is open all year round from 8:30am to 6:00pm. Do visit with family and children. They will love it! 

STG Boutique Cafe

My dear husband brought me to a nice cafe situated in oldtown, Ipoh. He kept it as a surprise and I only know where we're heading to when we arrived at the cafe. 

So, here we were at STG Boutique Cafe (Jalan Tun Sambanthan). 

The cafe was quite empty when we arrived. There was only one table with 3 guests. After we ordered our food, I took my time taking photographs of the cafe's interior. It has a classic style, with an elegant and serene feel. I felt a constant need to sit straight, cross my leg and speak quietly when I was there. =P

Husband and I had photos taken each while we waited for our food. Unfortunately, we forgot to take a selfie together. Aiseh...because I was busy photographing the macarons. 

We had a pot of Sabah Tea Geranium flavour to go with our food. Didn't know what is geranium and found this picture on google image. Beautiful flowers. 

The cafe manager suggested us to take this tea flavour and i think she did very well. Haha.. It was said that geranium is excellent for the female reproductive system. I'm TTC now. So you know how this excites me when I found out about its benefits. The aroma also helps calm the mind and body. No wonder i felt so calm yesterday. Hehehe... oh, i think the tea was selling at RM14 per pot. Can't remember exactly.

I had Valencia chicken with a touch of citrus. I love everything with citrus flavor. That's why this dish is so appetizing to me. The poached egg on top of the chicken breast was beautifully cooked. But remember to eat together with the chicken so that the yolk will melt in your mouth. At first, I was skeptical to the chicken breast but it was soft, tender and juicy. I'll definitely recommend this dish to anyone who likes chicken breast and citrus. Selling at RM25.00, it's a great deal. 

Husband had Chicken Roulade which he highly recommends. He loves it so much that this was his 2nd time ordering the same food. He had it once with a customer. 

My husband knows I like cakes and he ordered a chocolate lava cake for dessert. I got to say it was a lovely gesture from him. The chocolate and vanilla ice-cream were really refreshing after a full main course. 

While my husband is settling the bill, I had the opportunity to tour the first floor of the cafe. Here, they have several rooms for private function and there's a big hall for big parties & celebrations. I was wondering why the cafe is so huge from the outside. Now, I know why...

Overall, I was very satisfied with the food and very happy indeed to have enjoyed the meal with my husband. 

Tittle Tattle Houzz

Pssstt...... Let's have a cup of coffee and a chat at Tittle Tattle Houzz. The newly opened cafe (actually not so new now cuz this post was kept in the draft folder for 2 months already!) is family operated and it's located in Bandar Baru Medan Ipoh. Situated opposite "Aberdeen Cafe", the place has ample parking space during the weekends. But it's only opened from 11am till 5pm, so make plans to go early. Otherwise, the best dessert will be sold out! 

The owner of this cafe is a genius in art. She made all these wooden decorations and glass bulbs for the plants at the entrance of the cafe.

All the interior designs are done by her too. You will notice she loves butterflies! They are all over the walls. :) Even the air-conditioner is decorated. First time to see this in a cafe. Brilliant idea! The walls are also decorated with newspapers comics! 

My sister loves this chair. She posed for me to show that this chair is so comfortable for reading and have a sip of coffee. :D

See the girl in action? She's the owner of this cafe. She's busy preparing our drinks. *wink* The menu is on the wall. You can also view the menu from a tablet /ipad in front of the register. 

Now, may I present you the delicacies of this cafe? I love the tiramisu so much! It's the best dessert here. Selling like hot cakes! If you are late, you won't get to taste it. What I love about this cafe is they put a lot of thoughts in ensuring the food & drinks are at the best quality. The cold drinks are served with ice cubes that won't melt and glass that won't have water condensation at the external wall! This way, the cold drinks will always have the same taste without ice melting and watering the flavour and the glass / table will stay dry throughout the customer visit. So cool ideas! 

The address and contact number of the cafe :-

Notice the button on the business card? :-)

42 Foodies Italian Restaurant

I have never been to 42 Foodies personally prior to this but one of my friends said it's quite a nice place and the food is not bad too. But in terms of price, it could be a bit pricey. It was in my list of must visit restaurants and so we decided to have Coco's birthday dinner there. =)

I tried their lasagne.. not a good choice. Small portion at RM18.50. That's ridiculously expensive. The spice they used was too strong and overcame other ingredients of the food. Couldn't even taste the beef and tomatoes. But cheese portion was quite a lot. I love cheese. =D

Coco had grilled chicken. It was not bad. Sauce was great. But she doesn't eat salad. So i helped myself with it and I love the salad! KP had the burger and she likes it. Can't remember the price of the food though..cuz went there in April! (=.=" this is a backlog post) 

from top to right: burger, grilled chicken and beef lasagne

our table number and a cup of water

The restaurant interior is very nice. I personally feel it's a nice place to chat and get cozy with your mate. Hehe.. The walls are blue color or is it mint? The color gives you a soothing and calm feeling. The paintings on the wall are very nice too. If there's only one of them, it would be too plain & dull. With a few in a row, they look really stylish. It creates a good background for photos! 

We didn't prepare a cake for Coco. We had the restaurant's dessert instead. Thank God she doesn't mind and loves the pancake with ice cream and chocolate topping. It's super delicious! Gone within seconds! (We were worried the ice-cream melts and eat faster lor...!)

Address is :-

Jalan Hussein Nordin, Taman Kin Mee, 31400 Ipoh (Behind a row of shoplots opposite the Velodrom Rakyat. Near to Petronas in Fair Park.)

Tel: 05-547 7442

Opening hours: Tues to Sunday from 11:30am to 3:30pm, 6:00-10:00pm

Make up like a Super Star

Just a week ago, I needed to attend an annual dinner and I happened to find this amazing deal on groupon. I wanted to look good on that night and a professional make-up service from Super Star for RM28 is just too good to resist! =) 

I booked an appointment 2hours before the dinner so that I've ample time to get ready with my dress and accessories. I did my hair for an extra RM15 which I think it's quite reasonable. 

What I want to comment is their superb service. Hair was done simultaneously as my make-up. I was ready in an hour, fully dressed with accessories and shoes. But because I did 3 of my fingernails while waiting for my turn and they weren't properly dried, I spoiled them. Super Star helped me to fix my nails and even applied all the other 7 fingernails free of charge! It surprised me as they also offer manicure & pedicure service. The lady said because I brought my own nail-polish, they did it free of charge. But they really do the full application, with 2 layers of nail polish and 1 layer of top coat! 

So, you asked how do I look? I'm satisfied with my look..not too much of make-up and looked more natural. My hair was great too..the most important is my hubby loved it! (",)  This was actually taken after the dinner..so..my oily face had messed up the make-up but the hair still look great, right?

And here's a photo of me and my handsome hubby at the dinner. 

Ristorante Italiano Italia Mia

Hubby brought me to this restaurant last week for our date. :) It's great to have dates once in awhile to refresh our passion. Hehehe.. Even though it's a groupon voucher, I enjoyed the time spent together, savoring every bit of my Carbonara and Tiramisu. 

I've never tried the food here when it first started business in Ipoh. Heard that the owner is different now. The restaurant was quite packed on a Friday night. I observed that many of them ordered the same dishes..probably the same deal from Groupon too. The restaurant was kind of romantic, dimly lighted and with a wallpaper that portrayed something like an Italian town. It is a pork-free restaurant. That's the reason why I saw some Muslims dining there too. 

We can choose a pizza from 7 different types of pizza and a dish of pasta from 10 types of pasta, all with value of RM20 and above. Our deal is only RM28 including 2 desserts. Hubby had a seafood pizza and I had carbonara. For desserts, he had panna cotta and I had tiramisu. Each worth RM12. Seems like a good deal, eh? But after comparing my photo and the Groupon deal photo, i feel a bit cheated. All the desserts portion seem smaller than normal. Although the main dish look the same...I still feel that when you dine with a groupon voucher, the food portion is usually smaller than normal.

Above is my photo and the below photo is taken from Groupon webpage. Look at the difference in portion. My tiramisu looked so pathetically small although it still tasted very delicious. Hmm... Anyway, for RM28, I'm happy with what I get. 

Contact details as below :-
10, Persiaran SC1 2/1, Sunway City Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia. Ipoh 31150 
Tel: 05-547 4007

Dating with mom at OIC Cafe

I'm staying with mom for a few days while my husband is away for a short business trip. Mom and I decided to have dinner outside on Sunday evening. We drove to Bandar Baru Medan and scouted the area for a restaurant. We decided to have something at the "Festival Walk". Parked our car and took a stroll along the restaurants that filled up the street. Mom wanted to have Japanese food at "Sushi Zento" but it's so full and people were still queuing outside the restaurant. 

So, we ended up at OIC Cafe. I had tried the branch in Greentown and thought it was good, and wanted to bring mom there. But the branch at Festival Walk serves different type of food. Well..sort of more fast food and less varieties. Even the interior is very different. This one is very colourful and feel vibrant & young. Children will love it here. Whereas the branch in Greentown look more classy with the contemporary design.

We chose something which has the 'thumb up' icon in the menu. Mom chose one which has 3 'thumbs up' (OIC dry chicken rice) and I chose one which has 2 'thumbs up'.(OIC fried chicken rice). Thumbs up should be good right? 

The presentation of the food and drink were quite impressive. Heart shape rice and classy glass for ice water. =D 

For the dry chicken rice (bottom right), chicken is a bit too spicy for me but it tasted ok. Jus that it was served a bit cold. My fried chicken (top right) was good with the sambal and it was served hot. Both of us didn't like the type of rice they use. It's just not very appetizing and slightly dry. If they would have use a better quality rice, the dish would be perfect for the price of RM9.00 (fried chicken rice) and 9.50 (dry chicken rice). One other comment, they should really have a thorough cleaning of their fork and spoon!! The type of utensils they use can easily trap food and difficult to clean. (the area pointed with arrow)  

(Didn't take any photos of the fork and spoon. Found one from Alibaba.com that look similar)

Address of OIC Cafe 

2-5 & 2-5A, Festival Walk @ Ipoh, 
Jalan Medan Ipoh 1,
Medan Ipoh Bestari, 
31400 Ipoh, Perak.

Opening hours

Sunday - Thursday :10:30am - 10:30pm 

Friday, Saturday & Public Holiday eve : 10:30am - 12am

Manicure & Pedicure at La Zen

Bought this groupon deal for RM60 for 2 sessions of manicure & pedicure. 2 sessions because I brought my mother along for the manicure & pedicure. It was for my pre-wedding photo shoot. I thought I found a super great deal just on time to prep myself for the photo shoot. But it was just a so-so service. 

The deal said that I'll get 74% off from normal price. Well..maybe it's cheaper than market price for manicure & pedicure at just RM30. Usually, it will cost me RM70 just for a normal nail painting. But this RM70 also include hand scrub, massage, callus removal etc. Which means that La Zen is over charging at RM115 for normal price. 

My nail color was nice..I like the light pink but it was only because the color was painted in 2 thin layers. My mom did the same color on her toes and we noticed that the color was darker and looked thicker on her. Inconsistent nail colour application from two different manicurist I guess... 

My manicurist (i think it's the boss) did the nail art on my fingers. I told her I just need simple design and it's for pre-wedding photo shoot. She drew flowers and put some glitters on my nails. The design looked alright at first but with the added crooked lines, it looked a bit too congested. And the flower petals on my thumb and little finger looked like I touched some liquid paper. (>.<) But then, I couldn't say much as I let her do the design freely. Well..she should at least showed me some designs and let me choose upfront. 

Mom had to change her nail colors and paid an extra RM12.00 because her manicurist didn't test the color on one finger nail first. After applying all her 10 fingers, she thought the color doesn't suit her and have to reapply a new color. Hmm...So in the end, we paid an extra RM27.00..RM15.00 was for my nail art. I wonder if i'll return to this shop again in the future. Well, maybe with groupon deal cuz i'm not going to pay the normal price of RM100 over which I can get at RM70 for the same kind of service.

Lim Ko Pi (啉咖啡)

I first visited Lim Ko Pi in March 2013. I passed by this road now and then, but I usually turn right at the traffic light and hardly notice there's a kopitiam that's calling for attention. It's so red, you won't miss it unless you are like me, only looking to the right. =.='

I was mesmerized by the beautiful interior the moment I stepped into the coffee shop. It just brings out the atmosphere and oldtown feel.. if you know what I mean..

There's even a garden for a coffee out in the sun 

Of course, the architecture should not be the only thing you are looking at. There are a varieties of food offered, which is somewhat different from the other kopitiams in town, eg Oldtown, Pappa Rich etc. They even served homemade cupcakes. I only had the cupcake on the day I visited the kopitiam.  Too busy talking I guess.. ;P For more information on their food, check this out. 

It so happened that when we were there that Sunday, there was an exhibition showcasing miniature models of Ipoh heritage buildings. Some buildings from Taiping were also featured in the exhibition. The exhibition was held on the upper floor of the coffee shop. 

  

 

They are open from Tuesday to Sunday at 7:30am - 5:00pm. Come early as they have limited servings. More information can be found on their FB page.