Daily: Malaysian International Gourmet Festival (MIGF) Awards & Celebration Party @ Royale Chulan, Kuala Lumpur

The month-long Malaysian International Gourmet Festival (MIGF) has finally come to an end. I was invited and it was a fun-filled event where we got to try various delectable Malaysian cuisines. 

For those uninitiated, here is a brief background of this much anticipated annual festival.

The Awards

The theme 'Red Hot Chefs!' provided the backdrop for the Festival Restaurants to test their mettle against their peers in some of the most creative interpretations of the theme, ranging from spicy servings and sizzling decorations to fire breathers, fireworks and even a chef arriving  by helicopter!

Awards were given for creativity, innovation, presentation and value of the Festival Menu, quality of service, effective marketing strategies, best use of the Festival theme, best restaurant station designs and the number of Taste Sovereigns and Gourmet Dollars collected and portions sold during the Gala Launch and Taste MIGF.

Judging

Proving that it was a Festival for all, VIP judges and public diners alike made their opinions heard by way of their votes, selecting the restaurants that excelled in all arenas of MIGF – the Gala Launch, Taste MIGF and the Festival Menus as well as at the restaurants themselves during the month of October.

Festival Background

MIGF 2014 marked the 14th year of the Festival. MIGF began as the KL International Gourmet Festival in 2001 with 13 restaurants – then about all the fine dining restaurants there were in Kuala Lumpur. From humble beginnings, MIGF is now one of Malaysia's most recognizable international tourist brands. It has played a major part in helping Malaysia’s fine dining industry evolve from a virtually zero base to the vibrant premium dining scene we see today. As a result, it received international recognition by winning the PATA Gold Award for Marketing for establishing Malaysia as one of the leading world destinations for food tourism.

Here's the mandatory pose with the backdrop :)

Pictures of some of the celebrations going on that night while we enjoyed the food served at the event. 

Talented dancers heating up the dance floor before the awards ceremony began!

The best part of the night was definitely the food. After all, it was an event all about food. I have decided to shortlist and introduce a few which I absolutely love.

Penang 'Char Kuey Teow'

Oh, this was simply heavenly! There were generous amounts of huge prawns in this and the aroma was evident, even from miles away. I had three to four helpings of this, trust me, it was that yummy!

Fried Durian and Snowskin Durian Puff

You either love this or hate this. It's that simple because of the pungent durian flavour and that distinct smell which can be quite intimidating to some people. But, I loved the snowskin durian puff which literally melts in your mouth and the best part, was that the skin was thin and smooth (similar to mochi texture actually).

And, finally the moment everyone was waiting for is finally here! The awards ceremony and the list of winners are as below:

Full List of Award Winners MIGF2014

Golden Cauldron Award for the Best All-Round Restaurant 2014

Overall Winner: Cuisine Gourmet by Nathalie

Winners: La Scala, Marini’s on 57, Tanzini, Ten Japanese Fine Dining, The Olive

Chef Congeniality 2014

Winner: Chef Valmurugan Subramaniam

Special MIGF Festival Awards

Most Popular Overall Restaurant at the VIP Gala Launch

Winner: Cuisine Gourmet by Nathalie

Most Popular Overall Restaurant at Taste MIGF

Award Winner: Ten Japanese Fine Dining

Most Outstanding Marketing of the Festival

Award Winner: Resorts World Genting

Most Outstanding Overall Festival Experience

Award Winner: Seasonal Tastes, The Westin Langkawi

Most Popular Restaurants

Most Popular Restaurant at the VIP Gala Launch Taste Sovereigns Collected

Winners: Chambers, Chynna, Cuisine Gourmet by Nathalie, Imperial Rama, Marble 8, Ten Japanese Fine Dining

Most Popular Restaurant at the VIP Gala Launch Portions Sold

Winners: Charcoal, Chynna, Cuisine Gourmet by Nathalie, Imperial Rama, Samplings on the Fourteenth, Ten Japanese Fine Dining

Most Popular Restaurant at Taste MIGF Gourmet Dollars Collected

Winners: Chambers, Graze, Grill 582, La Scala, Minori, Ten Japanese Fine Dining

Most Popular Restaurant at Taste MIGF Portions Sold

Winners: Aliyaa Island Restaurant & Bar, Cuisine Gourmet by Nathalie, Minori, Nerovivo, Samplings on the Fourteenth, Ten Japanese Fine Dining

Taste MIGF Awards - Judges’ Choice

Most Creative Restaurant Station at Taste MIGF

Winners: Hilton KL, NEO Tamarind, Resorts World Genting, Signature by the Hill, Tanzini, The Marini’s Group

Most Creative Food Presentation at Taste MIGF

Winners: Cuisine Gourmet by Nathalie, La Scala, Marble 8, Nook, Seasonal Tastes, Signature by the Hill

Most Innovative Cuisine at Taste MIGF

Winners: Aliyaa Island Restaurant & Bar, Cuisine Gourmet by Nathalie, La Scala, Marini’s on 57, Nook, Tanzini

Taste MIGF Awards – People’s Choice

Most Creative Restaurant Station at the Taste MIGF

Winners: Aliyaa Island Restaurant & Bar, Hilton KL, Nook, Resorts World Genting, The Marini’s Group, Zender’s Bar & Grill  

Most Creative Food Presentation at Taste MIGF

Winners: Graze, Marini’s on 57, NEO Tamarind, Nook, Seasonal Tastes, Tanzini

Most Innovative Cuisine at Taste MIGF

Winners: Imperial Rama, La Scala, NEO Tamarind, Tanzini, Ten Japanese Fine Dining, The Olive

Festival Awards - Judges’ Choice

Best Marketed Restaurant

Winners: Dynasty/Sagano (Renaissance KL Hotel), Imperial Rama/LTITUDE/The Olive (Resorts World Genting), Seasonal Tastes (Westin Langkawi), Signature by the Hill, Tanzini, Bunga Emas/L’Heritage (The Royale Chulan KL)

Best Value Menu of the Festival

Winners: Aliyaa Island Restaurant & Bar, Bunga Emas, Charcoal, Chynna, Dynasty, L’Heritage

Most Creative Menu of the Festival

Winners: Bunga Emas, Cuisine Gourmet by Nathalie, Marini’s on 57, Tanzini, Ten Japanese Fine Dining, The Olive

Best Festival Offers

Winners: Aliyaa Island Restaurant & Bar, Charcoal, Cuisine Gourmet by Nathalie, Dynasty, Tanzini, Ten Japanese Fine Dining

Festival Awards - Diners’ Choice

Best Festival Dining Experience

Winners: Hilton KL, La Scala, LTITUDE Restaurant, Bar & Lounge, Marble 8, Marini’s on 57, Seasonal Tastes, Tanzini, The Olive

Most Outstanding Service Team of the Festival

Winners: Bunga Emas, Charcoal, Hilton KL, LTITUDE Restaurant, Bar & Lounge, Renaissance KL Hotel, Samplings on the Fourteenth, Seasonal Tastes, The Olive

Most Outstanding Canapés of the Festival

Winners: Cuisine Gourmet by Nathalie, Grill 582, LTITUDE Restaurant, Bar & Lounge, Maison Francaise, Ten Japanese Fine Dining, The Olive

Most Outstanding Soup of the Festival

Winners: Dynasty, Imperial Rama, L’Heritage, Maison Francaise, Marble 8, Samplings on the Fourteenth

Most Outstanding Palate Cleanser of the Festival

Winners: Bunga Emas, Graze, Grill 582, La Scala, L’Heritage, Ten Japanese Fine Dining

Most Outstanding Starter/Appetiser (Warm) of the Festival

Winners: Cuisine Gourmet by Nathalie, La Scala, LTITUDE Restaurant, Bar & Lounge, Marini’s on 57, Samplings on the Fourteenth, Zender’s

Most Outstanding Starter/Appetiser (Cold) of the Festival

Winners: NEO Tamarind, Nook, Samplings on the Fourteenth, Tanzini, Ten Japanese Fine Dining, The Olive

Most Outstanding Mains of the Festival – Meat

Winners: Chambers, Chynna, Cuisine Gourmet by Nathalie, La Scala, Marble 8, Ten Japanese Fine Dining

Most Outstanding Mains of the Festival – Fish/Poultry

Winners: Charcoal, Dynasty, Imperial Rama, Marini’s on 57, Sagano, The Olive

Most outstanding Mains – Others

Winners: Aliyaa Island Restaurant & Bar, Chynna, La Scala, Marble 8, Marini's on 57, Nerovivo 

Most Outstanding Dessert of the Festival

Winners: Cuisine Gourmet by Nathalie, La Scala, LTITUDE Restaurant, Bar & Lounge, Marini’s on 57, L’Heritage, Minori

Most Outstanding Wine Pairing

Winners: Cuisine Gourmet by Nathalie, La Scala, Maison Française, Marini’s on 57, Seasonal Tastes, The Olive

Best Value Menu of the Festival

Winners: Aliyaa Island Restaurant & Bar, Chynna, Dynasty, L’Heritage, Seasonal Tastes, Ten Japanese Fine Dining

Best Use of Festival Theme

Winners: Bunga Emas, L’Heritage, Nerovivo, Seasonal Tastes, Samplings on the Fourteenth, The Olive

Best Restaurant Ambiance

Winners: Chambers Bar & Grill, Chynna, LTITUDE Restaurant, Bar & Lounge, Marble 8, Marini’s on 57, Tanzini

A big thank you goes out to the MIGF team for inviting me as a part of this exquisite event. I will definitely be looking forward to next year's MIGF, see you there!

Daily: Fractional CO2 Laser @ Premier Clinic, Bangsar (Part 2)

I had my second visit to Premier Clinic and this time, Dr Elaine performed the Fractional CO2 Laser ‘Lite Peel’ treatment on my face. She told me that my skin didn't require the ablative therapy which is stronger and harsher because my skin condition is pretty good. My enlarged pores and blackheads could be reduced using this therapy. Just a note, this is my follow up session after my consultation previously. Read all about the first post here!

Anyway, I was briefed by Dr Elaine on how the treatment will work and the laser actually makes tiny holes on the surface of your skin allowing your skin to regenerate and fill it with good stuffs such as collagen for a fairer, brighter and more even complexion. It’s perfect for me as my main complain would be my uneven skin tone and slight redness. The uneven skin tone present in most of us is due to the different rates of skin healing and repair by our skin’s own mechanism. 

Here I am, waiting for my numbing cream!

Numbing cream was placed all over my face for a good 30 minutes and honestly, I could not feel anything at all. Dr Elaine then came in and performed the procedure while I was wearing the eye shield. Pretty unglamorous, but I rather be safe than sorry HAHA.

Ta-da! Resting like a princess with my numbing cream on.

Dr Elaine preparing to begin the treatment! I was super nervous at the time but I guess you can't see it that much here.

It was a tad bit painful like ants stinging your face at first but after a few times, your skin gets used to it and usually adapts to the laser. It was a 5 minute session and it was not as scary as one would imagine it to be. There was slight redness on my face right after the procedure and I looked like bread with those dotted lines all over.

The nurse applied some aloevera cream to soothe my skin and some sunblock as well. And, I was good to go after that!

For the next few days, i definitely looked weird as there were redness all over my cheeks and apparently it is normal for me to experience that. I guess there is always a price to pay for beauty :)

Daily: P1 Nostalgic Nation Blog Post

So, I decided to have a little adventure when I received an email from P1 on a specific task, 'P1 Nostalgic Nation'. Basically, all the tasks were to relive our childhood memories where we didn't have tablets, computers or smartphones back then. 

We were required to complete three tasks over the span of three weeks and I'll just include it below to those who are curious.

Week 1 : Fold A Boat

Fold a paper boat and let it float in water. Try to see how much weight it can hold before sinking and post it up on Facebook with the hashatg #P1NostalgicNation, #P1Connect, #FoldABoat.

(For this task, we decided to head out to the nearest park and we tried to load the paper boat with stones and twigs. It wasn't eay to be honest, but I was amazed and surprised at how much a paper boat can withstand before it sinks!)

Week 2: Fold A Plane

Fold a paper plane and see how far it can fly. Film it and post it on Facebook with the hashtag #P1NostalgicNation, #P1Connect, #FoldAPlane.

(We made a paper plane out of some recycled paper we found and after many tries, we finally made the perfect one. We decided to throw it downstairs in our university's Atrium as it was the only open space we could find HAHA! We probably caused a scare among some people who were walking downstairs oopsie :)

Week 3: Make A Fall

Make a parachute and attach something to it. Record it falling down and post it on Facebook with the hashtag #P1NostalgicNation, #P1Connect, #MakeAFall.

(Oh, so for this we experimented quite some time with different materials and finally decided on plastic bags, paper fold bin and some thread. Tada!)

Here's my version of all three tasks! Special thanks goes out to Jason for being my partner in crime for this and yes, we did well! 

All in all, it was a great experience as I got to de-stress from usual university routine. We went to the park and got to enjoy a bit of nature thanks to this task :) Thank you P1!

Post by KahWai Hong.

Post by KahWai Hong.

Post by KahWai Hong.

Food: 2013 BBT One Restaurant & Bar @ Bandar Bukit Tinggi, Klang

Have you guys heard about the new kid in town? 2013 BBT One Restaurant & Bar has only been opened for 5 months and they were full house by night. This place's cosy atmosphere was comfortable for those who would want to dine in with their families or those who are looking for a fun night out with their friends. 

I particularly liked the ambience of the restaurant which had that old, rusty feel to it. 

The exquisitely designed bar which I loved, although I can't really take alcohol.

See the stage in the last picture? We were lucky to be serenaded by the live band after 9 pm.

I was famished because I had a pretty early lunch, so when dinner was served, I was on cloud nine! We were served some starters or better known as 'tapas' in the menu.

Belacan Chicken Wings

Finger lickin’ good! This deep fried chicken wings which comes in a set of 3 pairs was scrumptious. It was crispy on the outside and tender and juicy on the inside. It wasn’t oily and it’s perfect for those who are health conscious like me. I would recommend this even to those who don’t fancy ‘belacan’, because the smell isn’t pungent and the ‘belacan’ flavour was rather mild too. For those who prefer an added kick to your chicken wings, request for more home made ‘belacan’ as a dip. 

Potato Croquette with Lemon Cream Sauce

For those uninitiated, croquette is a small cylinder of puréed salmon, potatoes (in this case) or some other item that is usually breaded or deep fried. Well, this golden balls were heavenly. I’m a major potato lover and I crave for mashed potatoes all the time. This deep-fried cheese, potato, onions and carrot mix served together with the tangy lemon cream sauce was delectably superb. Once again, this was crispy on the outside and as you bite into it, the softness of the potatoes will literally just melt in your mouth.

2013 Special Salad

Salads are never my favourite, but this bowl of goodness changed my perception of salads. The dressings used were the usual thousand island and a little hint of sesame dressing for that extra sweetness. The generous amount of prawns and smoked bacon in this bowl definitely was worth every single cent spent on it.

Oven Baked Crab

This item is usually not in the menu and would be made only upon special request. Look at the glorious cheese on the crabs. I would prefer to call this stuffed crabs, because the filling was made out of mushroom, crab and pork. It was a comfort food and something different from the norm. The coleslaw is home made so do try it as well!

Grilled Salmon with White Mushroom Cream Sauce

The salmon was fragrant but a bit dry on the first bite. Do drizzle some white mushroom sauce over it, it will become more flavorful and less dry. The fried salmon skin and mashed potatoes were my favourite out of this dish. The mashed potatoes were smooth and creamy, while the salmon skin was as crispy as potato chips. 

Lamb Pasta (Mamak Style)

A unique dish out of the menu, where Asian meets Western. This fusion recipe is perfect and to enhance the flavour, lard oil was used. The pasta was coated with eggs which is similar to 'mee goreng' (fried noodles) served in mamak. It wasn't spicy which is great for me and I guarantee that this dish will surely tantalize your taste buds.

Mutton Curry with Toasted Bread

The recipe is a combination of both Indian and Nyonya methods of cooking mutton curry. It was infused with spices and was very fragrant. The imported mutton which was simmered over low fire for 3 hours was tender and the musky smell was amazingly absent in this dish. 

Pork Chop

Oh, I love meat! This tempting, lip smacking pork chop is another item which has not been included in the menu yet. It was bursting with flavours with every single bite I took. Surprisingly, it wasn't oily and the meat was tender and juicy, just like how pork chops should be. The mushroom cream sauce which was served with it was a great addition. 

Lamb Pizza

They always save the best for last! It was the same with this lamb pizza which was the most amazing of them all. This piping hot pizza which was generously topped with cheese, lamb, onions and capsicum was too good to be true. Its crunchy thin crust was a perfect combination and my cravings for pizza were finally satisfied! Mamma mia :)

Green Passion Mocktail

My drink for the night! I can't drink alcohol so definitely cocktails are a no-no for me. Mocktails are exactly the same thing as cocktails, except the alcohol isn't added. Pretty refreshing and lemony, perfect to wash down the heavy meal I had.

For those who live in Klang and are seeking for good food, I highly recommend that you guys try this place out. Here's the details you will need.

2013 BBT One Bar & Restaurant 

Unit No. B-G-2, BBT One Boulevard,

Lebuh Batu Nilam 2,

Bandar Bukit Tinggi,

41200 Klang.

Contact: 03-33232920

Opening Hours : 4.00 PM - 1.00 AM