Favola Le Meridien

My recent purchase over Groupon has brought me back to this lovely Italian restaurant for my second visit, where the first visit was 3 years ago. Please visit here for my first post on Favola.

Favola literally means fable in Italian, it is located at Level 8 of 5-Star Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur Hotel.

The whimsical dining environment is decorated with with Renaissance architectural features such as masks, high ceilings and several chandeliers hanging across the hall. 

The 3-course gourmet Italian meal is priced at RM69 per person instead of RM125.30. Please click here for the details of the deal I purchased over Groupon.

Antipasti (appetizer), literally means "before meal", can be anything from bread to cheese and butter. In this case, 3 types of breads are freshly served hot from the oven with 3 types of sauce for dipping at your own liking. Although the size of the bread had shrunken to half as compared to my previous visit, but still adequate for 2-persons sharing.

Four choices are available for selection, in which two of them are salads. Rucola e salsiccia anatra (RM45) was chosen, which consists of Arugula, sliced pear, gorgonzola cheese, duck sausage and toasted walnut. For a non-salad palater, this would be the best salad I've indulged. The salad dressing and cheese make the Arugula tasted so rich and aromatic.

 The other two choices left on the appetizer menu are soups. Instead of the traditional Minestrone, Zuppa di fungi calabrese (RM35), which consists of assorted mushrooms cooked in milk with rustic garlic bread and Swiss cheese. As expected, the fresh mushroom soup tasted far superior which makes the usual canned soup paled into insignificance in comparison.

Similar to appetizer, 4 choices of Secondi (literally means second course) also are up for selection, in which pizzas and pastas equally make up the numbers. What would Italian cuisine become without these two?!

The signature Favola Pizza (RM40) is an easy choice obviously. The Italian pizza is topped with fresh slices of tomato, fresh mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, basil pesto and sizzled with olive oil. Although the ingredients are relatively simple, the pizza's taste and aroma is world's apart from the ordinary franchises' pizzas. The combination of cheeses which melt in your mouth deserves the extra credits too! 

 As for the pasta, Gamberetti ai Pinoli (RM45) was chosen instead of the Bolognese Beef, literally it means shrimps and pine nuts.

The pasta is stir-fried with decent numbers of prawns, chilli, garlic, parsley, pine nuts and mushrooms in extra virgin olive oil.

 As for Dolci (dessert), we were given choices of  two. The first dessert is Double espresso tart with fresh Chantilly cream (RM20). The bitterness from the tart is expected as it is made from double espresso, but the overall flavour is balanced by the sweetness of crème Chantilly, which is a kind of sweetened whip cream.

The other dessert would be 2 scoops of Italian gelato (RM16), chocolate and vanilla flavours, which are both smooth and creamy, typical of any gelato. As a conclusion, my second visit to Favola is worth the price I pay over Groupon for such a fine dining experience over the Italian restaurant. Longing for a third visit, third time's a charm, perhaps?!  

Favola

Address: Level 8, Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur Hotel, 

               No. 2, Jalan Stesen Sentral, 50470 Kuala Lumpur. 

Phone: 03-2263 7434 (Call 9am – 6pm daily)

Operating hours: 12pm – 2.30pm / 6.30pm – 10.30pm daily

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el-Cerdo Restaurant

El Cerdo, a restaurant where KL people will be no stranger to, I bet. If anyone of you is a pork lover just like me, please head down to El Cerdo, a place you will not be disappointed with, where you eat all the pork you want, from nose to the tail. However, I deeply apologize if my post offended anyone, especially Muslims and non-pork takers.

1). Located at Changkat Bukit Bintang, a busy street of gourmet heaven, just behind the heart of Jalan Bukit Bintang, the Red LIght District of Kuala Lumpur.

2). Currently occupied two shop lots, as opposed to a single one previously. The original premise houses a better restaurant-style ambiance; where as the latter is a bar-oriented decoration.

3). Make sure you got yourself a table before you come, otherwise you'll end up queuing throughout dinner time. If you come in a small group, it is easier to squeeze in a small table.

4). After ordering our dinner, time for some liquor to kick in. A pint of Hoegaarden draught witbier is never enough, if you're a heavy drinker. By the way, the drinks here are much more cheaper as compared to where I come from.



5). Freshly squeezed orange juice for the lady, who end up finishing my beer ^_^


6). Hot mushroom soup is served together with a slice of bread. Creamy and hot, just nice to warm up our starving stomachs.

7). Our appetizer is served promptly after the soup. We got ourselves a Spanish Ham Platter for two, which consists of assortment of two types of Spanish air-dried cured ham, Jamón Serrano (mountain ham) and Jamón Iberico (Iberico ham) with a variety of Chorizo Sausages and condiments. Nice and salty, just right for two persons, too bad we couldn't differentiate which ham is which.

8). Time for our long-awaited main dish under their Specialties menu, Cochinillo Estilo Segoviano, a.k.a. Roasted Suckling Piglet. We ordered a half piglet, which is only few weeks old to my guess, just for the two of us.

9). There is a special way to eat the suckling piglet at El Cerdo. One of us will be asked to use a plate to chop the piglet at three different part of the body. First at the head, then center of the body, and lastly at the butt, just to prove the crunchiness and crispiness of the piglet.

10). After that, a wooden bin will be pushed over to the table, the person holding the chopping plate will asked to make a wish and smashed the plate into the bin. This is the traditional Greek way to cherish good luck to the person performing the ritual.

11). The unlucky piglet will be taken away to be chopped into pieces for easy consuming. Taste rather different to the our Chinese counterpart Suckling Piglet, where it is toasted into absolute crispiness. You can still taste the flesh as well as the crispy skin of the El Cerdo's piglet. Needless to say, it is really delicious, especially for pork-lovers like us, where we engulf the piglet with only bones are left. This is the reason that keep us coming back for more.

12). Besides the piglet, there are other side dishes to compliment the piglet, which are fried potatoes, a special gravy and Caesar Salad. To be honest, the potatoes and the gravy are worth mentioning. The potato tasted just nice on its own and the gravy also compliment the piglet very well. For the the salad, well, at least there are some veggie for our heavy dinner tonight.

13). As I always said, a dinner is never complete without its dessert. We ordered their signatured Ice Cream, although the name doesn't sound glamour. When the dessert is served, its attractive appearance really caught our eyes. The Ice Cream is made of Vanilla, Pistachio, Chocolate, Rum & Raisin Ice Cream with Hazelnut sprinkled on top. Again, needless to say it is damn tasty (if you're a ice-cream lover), until we are crying for more, but our stomachs couldn't take in anymore.

14). Lastly, we are presented with a glass of El Cerdo Special each for everyone, which is served as a digestive drink after our heavy meaty dinner. It is made out of Spirit, Wine and Juices. A very warm and considerate approach, I might said. A satisfying and stomach-busting meal indeed, even though the damage was RM200+. I personally feel that it worth every penny, and I am prepared to come back for more.

el-Cerdo Restaurant

Address : No.43 & 45, Changkat Bukit Bintang, 

                50200, Kuala Lumpur.

Business hours : Lunch & dinner hours daily 

                         (Closed between 3.00pm - 6.30pm)

                         Except Saturdays open for dinner only.

Tel. : 03-21450511

Fax : 03-21451375

E-mail : werner@elcerdokl.com

Website : http://www.elcerdokl.com/

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MLTR Live In Kuala Lumpur 2011 (Part II)

This is the part two of my MLTR post, which consists a few of their songs in video. Hope all the MLTR fans out there would enjoy this, even if you missed the concert!

1. Salvation                                                          13. Angel Eyes
2. Sleeping Child                                                  14. How Many Hours
3. Love Will Never Lie                                          15. Take Me to Your Heart
4. It's Only Love                                                   16. Final Destination
5. Someday It's Gonna Make Sense                   17. Paint My Love
6. Something You Should Know                          18. Breaking My Heart
7. The Actor                                                         19. That's Why (You Go Away)
8. Naked Like The Moon                                       20. Encore I : Someday
9. I'm Gonna Be Around                                       21. Encore I : 25 Minutes
10. Complicated Heart                                           22. Encore II : Wild Women
11. Nothing To Lose                                               23. Encore II : Out of The Blue
12. Medley (Take Off Solo + Hot + Animal + Blue Nights)

1). The Actor



2). Naked Like The Moon



3). I'm Gonna Be Around



4). Complicated Heart.



5). Nothing To Lose.



6).Animal.



7). Blue Nights.



8). Angel Eyes



9). Paint My Love.



10). Breaking My Heart.



11). That's Why (You Go Away).



12). Someday.



13). 25 Minutes.



14). Wild Women.



15). Out of The Blue.


MLTR Live In Kuala Lumpur 2011
Venue : KLCC Plenary Hall
Time : 8.30pm - 11.30pm


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MLTR Live in Kuala Lumpur 2011 (Part I)

1). Not so long ago, I was gifted a VIP ticket to a concert of my all-time favourite band, Michael Learns To Rock (MLTR), live in Kuala Lumpur on 24th April 2011. The event is organised by Star Planet and presented by MBI International. The venue for the concert is KLCC Plenary Hall. As my seat is numbered, therefore I can shop for while and entered last minute ^_^

2). I have never missed any of MLTR's concert in Malaysia, definitely not going to miss this one! The concert starts about 9.30pm. Warmed up by a local artist, in which he claimed MLTR is also his idol!

3). This is the moment I have been waiting for! It's been two years since I went to their last concert in Genting Highlands in September 2009 and the second last was in July 2007, again in Genting.

4). Mesmerized by the sexy voice of lead vocalist and keyboardist, Jascha Richter.

5). You rarely can find the drummer and percussionist, Kåre Wanscher out of the drum set and have a run at the front of the stage, performing "I'm Gonna Be Around" and "Complicated Heart".

6). Sitting in Plenary Hall is pretty comfortable, as you can just sit back, relax and enjoy the show in cooling air-conditioning and a comfortable adjustable sofa.

7). This is the closest shot I got for the three original MLTR members, using my trusty Sony TX-5, as professional cameras and camcorders are not allowed, gotta take this shoots secretly and in discrete.

8). Jascha has always been the center of attention, performing all the songs that wanted by the crowd, and also not forgetting his sense of humour!

9). Every time Jascha come down the stage would create chaos in the hall, including this time around, however only once he came down time, shake hands with the fans, and kiss a girl's hand on the way, apologizing to her partner afterwards, funny and naughty!

10). After performing every song, Jascha would shed a little light on the next song they would be playing by giving some introductions, for example "The Actor", where it was first aired in Jakarta and eventually propelled them to super stardom in Southeast Asia.

11). While performing "Someday It's Gonna Make Sense", Jascha giving us a hint of their next release by saying, "We never stop making music, although we have only released 7 of them. The next one is coming, but now it is still a big secret". Everyone laughed and cheered.

12). This time around they brought another bassist, which is young handsome dude, unlike last time when they bought a blonde babe!

13). Rarely you'll see Jascha in action with a guitar, singing "Sleeping Child".

14). Also not forget to mention the energetic guitarist Mikkel Lentz, changing guitars song after song, sent flying kisses to the crowd making the fans gone wild, and dancing Macarena too!

15). While performing "That's Why (You Go Away)", he passed the microphone towards the fans, taunted them to sing along, and he took out his handphone to record the spectacular view of every single of their fan singing out loud their all-time famous song and they retreated to the back stage.

16). After encoring twice, MLTR performed their last song, "Out of The Blue", which is also one of my favourite songs. MLTR bidding farewell to the fans and heads to their next destination in Kuantan, where they held their final stop in Malaysia on 30th April 2011. The concert ended on a high note at 11.30pm, leaving their fans shouting encore for more.

17). A whooping total of 23 songs are performed during the concert, I like every single one of them, the only one missing was "The Ghost of You", have been dying to hear it live for ages. I am surely gonna missed them, until the next time we meet again! Thumbs up for concert, you have my support always!

1. Salvation                                                          13. Angel Eyes
2. Sleeping Child                                                  14. How Many Hours
3. Love Will Never Lie                                          15. Take Me to Your Heart
4. It's Only Love                                                   16. Final Destination
5. Someday It's Gonna Make Sense                   17. Paint My Love
6. Something You Should Know                          18. Breaking My Heart
7. The Actor                                                         19. That's Why (You Go Away)
8. Naked Like The Moon                                       20. Encore I : Someday
9. I'm Gonna Be Around                                       21. Encore I : 25 Minutes
10. Complicated Heart                                           22. Encore II : Wild Women
11. Nothing To Lose                                               23. Encore II : Out of The Blue
12. Medley (Take Off Solo + Hot + Animal + Blue Nights)