Sushi at Precinct 10

Due to an unforeseen circumstance, the girls have decided to bring me to Sushi Zento膳户 that is located at Precinct 10 by Tanjung Bungah. Searching for this Japanese restaurant doesn't consume much effort as it's positioned at the center of the Precinct 10 that is clearly seen with a glassy closed dining area.

You can either help yourselves from the conveyor sushi bar or to order from their menu. A must-to-try yet it's not listed in the menu is the Fried Salmon Skin. The taste is superb that it's alike eating chips that we've indeed enjoyed the crispiness. Dipping the Salmon Skin into the Long Island Sauce that has been mixed with lemon juice, the refreshing taste has enhanced the deliciousness. Another seafood family that we've ordered is the Ika Maruyaki Teriyaki that is the grilled Japanese squid with Teriyaki sauce. Alternatively, do ask for Shioyaki or grilling with salt if you prefer a plain taste. I'm not amazed by the dish as both the squid and the sauce do not taste appealing. In other word, it's just ordinary.

We've then taken the Buta Enoki Maki that the golden needle mushroom is rolled with the pork slices and being garnished with a type of pepper and butter sauce. This is a good combination especially I've enjoyed the slight crunchiness of the mushroom together with the tender meat. The sauce has done a great job as well with its saltiness. Next menu is their special of the day that is the Pan Fried Pork being served with Teriyaki sauce. Not really special, but the taste is still not bad. Trying their grilling menu, we've picked the Aspara Bacon whereby the asparagus is wrapped inside the pork bacon. This is a simple yet tasty snack to chew it on the stick that the taste is enhanced by the saltiness of the bacon. I guess I'll enjoy more if the asparagus is younger and crunchier.

To eat healthily, Phui Yee has decided to order the Komitamago To Bacon Salada. The fresh salad is mixed with flavoured half boiled egg and crispy bacon that is then being garnished with Wafu Dressing. The salad is tasty but it's really sinful with the high calories of the fried bacon and pork skin.

I don't find the Sushi Zento to be very extraordinary as the menu is neither very delicious nor outstanding than other Japanese restaurants. The surrounding maybe slightly special but not to the extent yet to carve a memory into my brain.

Desire for Nyonya

Nyonya is the combination of Malay and Chinese that is being popularly known in Malacca. The culture of the food has spread across Malaysia that we can find few restaurants in Penang as well. A strong recommendation from a colleague, we've decided to try out Nyonya Breeze that is located at Straits Quay. This is the branch whereby the headquarter is at the Abu Siti Lane. A branch shop, why? The main chef stations at Straits Quay currently and the quality is claimed to be better.

As a starter, we've ordered the Choon Peah. This is the spring roll that has been stuffed with minced pork, crab meat, carrot, onion and cabbage that is then being deep fried to golden brownish colour. It's served together with 'Ang Mo Tau Eu' or Lea Perrins Soy Sauce. The minced pork is loosely mixed with the vegetable that the Choon Peah doesn't taste hard. The Choon Peah is juicy and moist at the inside yet the skin is very crispy. I prefer it without soy sauce, how about you? Next side dish is the Otak-Otak that is the steamed spicy fish custard with 'Daun Gado'. Otak-Otak is a special dish for the aromatic smell of the 'Gado' leaves. The texture should be soft and compact that the fish custard is not watery yet it melts in the mouth. We dislike the Otak-Otak here as it's hard and neither the taste nor the smell is good.

Recommended by the staff, we've tried their Sambal Goreng. The prawns, eggplants and cashew nuts are cooked in the thick coconut-based sauce that is added with lemongrass for a refreshing taste. Additionally, fried onions and garlics are being used as garnishing to enhance the aroma. The next tasty dish is the Pork Rendang. This delightful dish is a thick-textured curry of pork slices that the taste and aroma is enhanced by adding the local spices, coconut milk and kaffir lime leaves. Both of the dishes are quite tasty except that they're sweet instead of spicy. Another pork meat that we've ordered is the Hong Bak. The pork belly is cooked with potatoes in a rich bean paste sauce. I've not really enjoyed this dish as it's quite slimy.

Followed by, we've the Asam Pedas Fish and Jiu Hu Char. The curry fish tastes sour from the tamarind pulp. The Jiu Hu Char is a famous dish among Chinese whereby the cuttle fish strips are fried with the turnip, carrot, cabbage, onion, pork and mushroom slices. The traditional and right way to eat the dish is by wrapping the mixture into the lettuce leave and then adding the Sambal Belacan or a type of chili paste before rolling it up. I'm not amazed by these dishes because the taste is not outstanding. My Mom has indeed a better cook of these tasty cuisines.

I don't feel regret to gather with the friends for a Nyonya meal here. Frankly speaking, I don't find the cuisines are special and they're not that delicious to trigger my eagerness to visit here again.

Chocolate Temptation at Chocolate Passion Chocolate Café

Passing by Chocolate Passion Chocolate Café, we're attracted by their wide range of hand-crafted chocolates that are displayed inside the glass showcase. Tempted to try out every single pieces of these fine chocolates, Attila and I have decided to take away the box of 9 pieces. Of course, I've taken their signature of Extremely Dark Chocolate Truffles that are made from 70% cocoa. The taste of the thick chocolate is superb that I've really enjoyed its soft texture and the bitterness in my mouth. I cannot recall the exact name of each chocolates, but they should be Peanut Truffles, Almond Nuts, Caramel, Mint, Banatoffee, Raspberry Truffles and another two with the unknown names. The remaining chocolates do taste good as well but I'm more amazed by the deliciousness of the 70% Dark Chocolate Truffles. The box costs us RM45, is it too expensive for you? Worth for money that I'll spend.

Additionally, Attila has taken 100g of their Chocolate Biscotti. It does have a strong chocolate's taste but the texture is soft and slightly compact that it tastes a little powdery. It tastes quite good but it's just different from the crispy Biscotti that I've normally tried.

Oh ya, you can find the Chocolate Passion Chocolate Café at unit 3A-G-36 at Straits Quay!

Before Departure from Samui Airport

Samui Airport is alike a small holiday resort without high rise buildings. Not too many shops or to do, we've to wander around the small area for 2hours before our international departure from this island. Attila and I have decided then for a lunch break at Pad Thai Restaurant that is located at the corner in front of the clock tower. This small hut with an open air concept has attracted many tourists here, including ourselves ;)

I've decided to order a clear soup of Tom Yum Kung with Seafood. The soup is very spicy and refreshing with the lemongrass inside. The squid is quite tasty but I still dislike the prawn as the meat is too soft that it doesn't taste fresh. I've at first never thought to write about this restaurant that the picture is only for memory. However, I'm so pissed off with the piece of tetra pack in my soup! It's so so... disgusting!

I'm impressed by the taste of the Tom Yum Kung but the feeling is then turning into anger as I hate the chef that has overlooked the importance of cleanliness in his kitchen.

Four Islands-Five Islands... It's 5

On our last night in Koh Samui before departure back to reality of working life, we're looking for delicious food for our dinner. We're a little cautious about the freshness of seafood on this island, thus we've narrowed down the selections to only authentic Thai or Western food. Accepting the suggestion from the friendly hotel's staff, we've decided to go for Thai Fusion food by visiting Five Islands Restaurant that is located at West Coast. It's always a argument between Four Islands or Five Islands because you can see only the Four Islands from the Five Islands Beach whereby the 5th island is hidden behind. It's really a beautiful scenery either in the garden or with the boats that are parking by the beach. We like the windy air and the silence that make us to stay longer for a relaxing evening.

Unable to decide about the menu, Attila is wanting for seafood and we've thus ordered the Pooh Tod Kra Tiem that is the deep fried crab and the BBQ King Prawns that are both served with garlic and pepper. They're using the sea crab that is not our favourite as the meat is softer and it tastes a little 'powderish' but I've at least enjoyed the saltiness together with the aroma of the garlic and pepper. The BBQ King Prawns are apparently smaller than I've expected and they're not so fresh as well. The meat is not so succulent but the juiciness and saltiness of the sauce are still sufficient to let us enjoy the taste.

Next to follow is the meat that we've taken the Geng Phed Phet Yang whereby it's the roast duck curry with pineapple, baby tomatoes and grapes. I think that the meat is slightly over-cooked that it's a little chewy but I like the thick curry sauce here. It's tasty and the aroma is very nice. I've asked additionally for the Grilled Pork that is marinated in herbs and virgin oil, then being served with Brussels sprouts and the Five Islands red wine sauce. Only one word to describe my feeling, 'Superb'! The pork slices are tender and very juicy while the red wine sauce is just a perfect match with the meat. I'm really surprised that they're making such a delicious dish here. By the way, the pork is categorized under European section.

Both of us have finished up the 4 dishes completely. An over all conclusion, we're satisfied with the environment, service and the food here. I've a gut feeling that the Thai is good in preparing meat. I'm recommending this restaurant to tourists that are visiting Koh Samui as you're not only going to enjoy a delicious meal but also having the chance to see another side of the island. The same advice applies, don't come at night as there's only darkness.

Sitting on The Cliff

Koh Samui as being surrounded by the ocean, a lot of developers have utilising this strategic geographical factor that the restaurants are facing the wide ocean view and backup by the high mountains. There are plenty of restaurants around the island that you can consider for a romantic dinner while enjoying a beautiful sunset view. By random pick, we've chosen The Cliff Bar & Grill.

Arriving at our destination, I'm falling in love with the beautiful scenery of the unlimited acre of the sky and the sea. I'm totally addicted to stand on the giant rock and to capture the whole view of the restaurant that is clinging onto the cliff. For that moment, the peaceful surrounding and the nice view motivate us to laze down for a relaxing dinner. Sitting outside at the open-air area, we're served with some bread sticks and the pickled olives and garlics as the welcoming snacks. We've then shared the Zarzuela De Marisco or the Seafood Platter that consists of imported live Atlantic Lobster, King Scallops, NZ Mussels, Calamari, Prawns and fresh Fish that are served with Spanish Rice, Salad or French Fries. The platter comes as well together with 3 types of sauces that are yogurt-based, chili and mixture of chopped garlic with olive oil. Of course, I like the chili the most yet the sauces are all delicious. My compliment goes only to the fish meat for its freshness and juiciness. I'm especially disappointed with the scallops as they're from the canned food that is then being decorated on the shell. The scallops are not tender and the taste is really sucks. The taste and the freshness of the seafood are in generally neither special nor very good. Attila has indeed complaint about the claw of the Atlantic Lobster that has been over burnt.

If you like somewhere to relax for a meal that you can breathe the fresh air and able to enjoy the beauty of the nature, The Cliff is one of the choice out from the varieties across Samui island. However, the food is not as delicious as I've expected out from the quality of the service and the scenery here. Do visit here during the daytime before the beautiful view disappears into the darkness of the night.

London Cocktail Bus, No. 89 by the Roadside

Walking along the streets at Chaweng Beach, I'm attracted by the Cocktail 89 London Bus whereby this bus-shaped creature is indeed a small bar that is selling cocktails. The ambient is quite cozy whereby tables and chairs are available that customers can sit down to enjoy the take-away cocktails. The dim lighting and the peaceful surrounding suit us that are looking for a place for chit-chatting and to relax for a drink.

Attila has chosen the Mai Tai that is the mixtures of white rum, dark rum and orange curacao. This orange-based of cocktail tastes very sweet but Attila has indeed enjoyed the extreme sweetness that is corroding his teeth. I've selected the lime-based drink that is called Mojito. It has the combinations of white rum, fresh lime, brown sugar and soda water. I like the sourness of the lime as I dislike sweet cocktails. A small disadvantage is that the cocktails are served in the plastic cups. About the taste, they're good and we're both satisfied.