PIGGIN OUT @ KAMPACHI, EQUATORIAL BANGI

We once craved to try the much talked about Japanese weekend buffet at Equatorial Hotel. But always got distracted through the years but finally, a couple of months back, we finally manage to find the time to visit Kampachi at Equatorial Bangi (as Equatorial KL is now close for renovation).

 

We were looking forward to dine here after hearing so much about the place and how it’s always fully booked months in advance so I was really surprise when I tried my luck making the reservation 2 days before, I actually got it.

 

When we arrive, was firstly disappointed at how small the dining area was with limited tables (no wonder fully book all the time). Walked around to check out the buffet  spread and sad to say, it wasn’t very appetizing. The spread was sad. 6-7 dishes of pre-cooked food, a small section of cook-on-the-spot which cooked small portions at a very slow speed, a sashimi counter (which did serve fresh sashimi), and a dessert section (with a not too bad spread). The other sad thing about this place was their sukiyaki counter. They had this huge pot of soup boiling with sukiyaki stuff and when you request for a bowl, they just scoped out a little bit of each (which is fine) but it’s just that the ingredients in it is continually being boiled and if you reach here later, it’ll probably be porridge sukiyaki by then.

 

So much for high expectation. The restaurant beside Kampachi looked so much more appetizing.

 

 

 

 

STRIPPIN DOWN, COOKING UP: PUMPKIN CHICKEN

It has been a while since I last stripped down to cook. However, recently I’ve decided to cook again especially for my dinners so I am able better to control my diet. I use to go to my in-laws for dinner but then I find myself stuffing myself more than I should – especially when she cooks sambal petai. So… trying to stick with my diet plan, I started cooking simple high protein low carbs meal for dinner when I get back from office.

This recipe here is already considered quite elaborate during working days as most days, I would just marinate a meat and stuff it into the oven to cook.

Ingredients:

         i.            Chicken breast – sliced and diced

       ii.            A slice of pumpkin dice

      iii.            Anchovies – handful

 

 

First fry the anchovies till it’s almost crispy

Then fry the pumpkin. Pumpkin takes a little longer to cook so let it simmer in some water.

Once the pumpkin is almost cooked, add in the sliced diced chicken breast. Add in more water if required.

The watery bits should begin to thicken at the end. A really good sign your pumpkin is now soft and ready.

 

And serve…

 

 

Simple…

 

OF SWEATY PALMS, BEATING HEARTS AND ANXIOUS MINDS

1 more month (or earlier) would be the arrival of our second child Evan and to date, I am quite sure there’s quite a lot of things that we have yet to do to prepare for his arrival. Talking like pros after having our first, my usual response is always… “What to worry? Got shopping mall all around ma…”. So changing table – not bought yet, clothes – barely/just enough, double breast pump (for my wife of course) – not bought yet, mittens/booties – I think we’ve got this, cotton wool – got some leftover from 2 years ago… well… we’re pretty ready… I think…

 

But apart from the physical preparations, I think I am so much more worried about how emotionally I am prepared to receive another child. Don’t get me wrong, I am very excited and thankful that God has decided to bless us with another child, but the routine that I’ll have to go through again just brings about a cold shiver through my mind, body and soul – it’s really that bad.

 

Days where I’ll have to survived through constantly disrupted sleep, increase in household chores – ESPECIALLY HANGING THE BABIES CLOTHES, washing bottles, sterilizing bottles, boiling water, picking and monitoring 2 kids around the house, bathing 2 kids, changing diapers for 2 kids, changing clothes for 2 kids and that’s not even talking about managing 2 kids through holidays. Especially this year… where I’ve got added responsibility at work, buying, renovating and moving into our new house… my heart feels like it’s got 2 x 10kg dumbbells hanging on it.

 

I think what makes it worst is Athalie going thru a regression period where she needs extra comfort and security these days (knowing that another child is coming along). We use to be able to put her on her own bed (beside our bed) to sleep for at least half the night – but now she insist to sleep on our bed from the very 1^st hour (and when asked – “Where’s Evan going to sleep?” she replies, “In the cot la… here no space already”), she was barely waking up for milk and sleeping through the night – but when we told her “Athalie big girl already ya.. no need to wake up for milk k..” she wakes up 3 times to drink milk! and where she was independently walking around, up and down the strairs by herself – she now wants you to carry her. I can only hope and pray that when the baby comes, she understands that we love her same and revert back to her independent self again.

 

But despite all these anxiousness about how to survive, one thing I’ve learned from my experience with Athalie is when the time comes, we humans naturally are made to adapt and survive through it. The most amazing adaptation I ever made was my need for my hours of sleep. In the past before any kids, I would need ample of sleep failing which I would fall ill easily. But when we had Athalie and the super disrupted sleep I had and the near wiping off of my long afternoon naps, I survived. So… this time around… as crazy as I might think it’s going to be… I will survived. To add on further, my compass for survival is my colleague LO – 2 young kids, 2 working adults, no parents/in-laws within a 100km radius, no maid (not even part time) and still survive. So I should be able to survive... fingers cross… here we go…

PIGGIN OUT @ TOM, DICK & HARRY’S, TTDI

So breakfast/brunch seems to be the new in thing in town… I mean it’s been a while but it’s only now that I am catching up… What?!!? I’m not slow k… I just enjoy my thosai, roti canai, the tarik at my regular mamak at 10am k…

A couple of weeks back, a group of my friends decided to meet up at Tom, Dick and Harry’s instead of our yearly CNY meetup at a Chinese restaurant. We met at about 12:30pm… yes… it’s lunch… but we ordered their breakfast menu so it’s BREAKFAST.

Overall, the experience here was pretty much so-so. Nothing spectacular or nerve shocking.

First up was the “The American Breakfast”  (RM23) – a breakfast set with 2 sunny side up, hash brown, pork sausage, mushroom, bacon, baked beans and 1 slice of regular bread (cut into a triangle). I love freshly baked bread for breakfast so the sight of the 2 pieces of triangle bread with baked beans and sunny side up eggs just made me feel I was camping or in some cheap hotel which serves breakfast and that thought just drowned all the other food. Also, instead of serving you freshly brewed coffee you get free flow coffee from a tank which tasted pretty much like water.

The “Spinach Wrap” (RM20) was badly presented and there’s nothing much to shout about how it tasted. My Sikh restaurant at Bangsar does a much better spinach dish and cost a lot less.

A friend ordered “Egg Benedick’s” (RM20) which looked a lot more appetizing. Didn’t get to taste it so can’t comment much.

Overall this will not be my first choice for breakfast/brunch but would definitely be back to try their much talk about pork knuckle. However, one really annoying thing here is that they allow pets to be brought into the restaurant. I personally love dogs, but bringing a dog into a restaurant is a whole different thing. I wouldn’t mind if you wrap your dog up in cling wrap and bring him/her in but you can’t and your dogs fur would probably be flying around into people’s food. That’s just disgusting. Period.

Location:
18, Lorong Rahim Kajai 14,
TTDI,
60000 Kuala Lumpur

GPS: N3.154730, E101.623124