Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc Seafood Tasting Trail Kicks Off This May & June!

You would not want to miss the ‘SNAP & SHARE’ TO WIN A 3D/2N STAY FOR TWO IN LANGKAWI with this Seafood Trail!

Seafood aficionados will be pleased as New Zealand Cloudy Bay kicks off their famous Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc wine pairing this year with a Seafood Tasting Trail. In pursuit of last year’s success with a duck trail, this year’s participating outlets are racking a seafood escapade to be paired with elegant and refined white from the world renowned Marlborough region of the land of kiwi. Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2013 is ranked amongst the top five in the Drinks International ‘Our World’s Most Admired Wine Brands 2013’ supplement for its fresh and light flavors, making it the quintessential accompaniment for seafood. Starting from May 1 till June 30 2014, head over to the participating outlets for a taste of the Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc Seafood Tasting Trail and you might just win a trip to Langkawi while dining.

An invite to trail some of the participant outlets for a taste of the seafood wine pairing needed no encouragement at all. I took time off from work this round since I missed the duck trail last year. Together with some media, we were chauffeured in a Starex and pampered all the way on the trail with glasses of Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc. Now that’s what I call dining with style!

There are total 13 participating outlets in Kuala Lumpur and Petaling Jaya while other states have 5 outlets. My route of that day was to visit 5 restaurants in Kuala Lumpur while some of my other friends took on the Petaling Jaya route.

Our first stop was at Traders Hotel at their exclusive Gobo Upstairs Lounge & Grill where guests dine with an amazing view of the city’s skyline.

We started off our seafood gastronomy journey with a gorgeous Atlantic Cod Bouillabaisse. The big thick white cod is exquisitely cooked and sits in a puddle of luscious broth filled with seafood essence.  Plump mussels and cubes of potatoes accompanied the sweet succulent cod. The flavors are robust and rich, pairing well with the crisp notes of the Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc.

Gobo Upstairs Lounge & Grill

Atlantic Cod Bouillabaisse paired with a glass of Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2013, RM124++

Gobo Upstairs Lounge & Grill

Gobo Upstairs Lounge & Grill, Level 6, Traders Hotel, Kuala Lumpur City Centre, 50088 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

T. 03- 2332 9888

Our next stop is a personal favorite of mine, Tujo Bar-sserie & Grill. My soft spot for the retro cool restaurant and its fusion cuisine is further enhanced by its ambience. Set in a busy spot in the city, Tujo makes a great hang out after a long’s day of work.

Tujo is featuring a Platter of Pan Seared Scallop with Marinated Konbu, Medium Rare Crusted Tuna & Salmon Duo to go with the Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc. Enjoy this whole platter to your heart’s content as a main or simply share. It’s a sea of delicious pieces of barely seared tuna crusted with spices and herbs and top with alfalfa sprouts, barely seared sweet scallops crowned with pickled seaweed and salmon with juicy salmon roes.

I was particularly fond of the scallops for its sweetness and juicy flavors and the salmon for the salty vibrant flavors. It was a clever dish as the three seafood compliments the Sauvignon Blanc’s vibrant citrus aroma really well.

Tujo Bar-sserie & Grill

Platter of Pan Seared Scallop with Marinated Konbu, Medium Rare Crusted Tuna & Salmon Duo paired with a bottle of Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2013, RM260++

Tujo Bar-sserie & Grill

Ascott Kuala Lumpur, 9, Jalan Pinang 50450 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

T. 012-210 3055

We hit some traffic as we moved on to our next destination at Starhill Gallery. Our first restaurant was Shook! Walking into Shook!, we were immediately attracted by its spacious décor filled with quirky fun décor with a touch of elegance. There are various stations spread all over serving up different cuisine.

Shook! chose to serve a beautiful and light course of Seared Yellow Fin Tuna Salad with Whole Grain Mustard Vinaigrette with the wine. Echoing the wine’s tasting notes, we were delighted with thick quality lightly seared tuna nestled among a mix of greens, asparagus, onions, green beans, sundried tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, olives and artichokes all dressed in a vibrant tangy grain mustard dressing. The dish is light, fresh and very enjoyable.

Shook! @ Starhill Gallery

Seared Yellow Fin Tuna Salad with Whole Grain Mustard Vinaigrette paired with a glass of Cloudy Bay

Sauvignon Blanc 2013, RM196++

Shook! @ Starhill Gallery

Feast Village, Starhill Gallery, 181, Jalan Bukit Bintang, 55100 Kuala Lumpur.

T. 603 - 2719 8535

After Shook!, we moved on to another restaurant, Fisherman’s Cove in the same location. It’s my first time and I must express how unique the interior is. Designed to seat guests in two levels and with an interior completed with lots of wood, the whole ambience exudes certain exoticness about it. Lightings are low and guests are treated to open kitchen and tanks of aquarium filled with live seafood.

The dish of Pan-fried Fillet of Coral Grouper, Pipi Clams and Blue Mussels with Citrus Butter Sauce was my favorite of the lot. It has such finesse and the flavors are magnificent. Bold citrus butter sauce takes the sweet crispy seared coral grouper to new heights. Succulent Pipi clams and blue mussels are cooked to tenderness. What accompanied the fish was a thick wedge of grilled Portobello mushrooms to give the dish a nutty earthy flavor. It is a dish perfectly executed and brings out the Sauvignon Blanc tasting notes beautifully.

Fisherman's Cove

Pan-fried Fillet of Coral Grouper, Pipi Clams and Blue Mussels with Citrus Butter Sauce paired with a glass

of Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2013, RM146++

Fisherman's Cove

Starhill Gallery 181 Jalan Bukit Bintang, Starhill Gallery, 55100 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

T. +60 3-2782 3848

The journey ended at French inspired Brasserie Enfin located at Oasis Ara Damansara. There was an evening drizzle and it was a lovely way to end our day. Brasserie Enfin takes on the European touch in its menu, also including the interior and ambience. The restaurant is richly decorated with bold colors, wood, checkered floor and soft warm lightings. We love how guests can enjoy the scenic evening views of the plaza and the sky.

It was a very pretty dish at sight. Pan seared mackerel with beurre noisette of walnut and almond served with crispy roots was created with lots of thoughts and effort. A stronger flavored fish, the mackerel was rendered with a crispy skin and soft firm flesh. It was a cleverly mix of various flavors and textures. Fondant potatoes and beetroots together with a tempura batter chrysanthemum and herbs mingled well together with the lightly burnt butter sauce. I also spied walnuts, almonds and caper with a crispy parmesan wafer in the dish. It’s a complex dish that showed much thought goes into every little ingredient to ensure a well-balanced dish. As the dish is quite rich, the Sauvignon Blanc’s crisp and fresh notes balance it well.

Brasserie Enfin

Pan seared mackerel with beurre noisette of walnut and almond served with crispy roots paired with a

glass of Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2013, RM50++

Brasserie Enfin

Lot R-07, First Floor, Central Piazza, No. 2, Jalan PJU 1A/ 7A, Oasis Square, Oasis Damansara 47301 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

T. 03-7832 2969

Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc Seafood Tasting Trail Instagram Contest

The Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc & Seafood Tasting trail features an exciting Instagram contest from 1^st May to 30^th June 2014. This is a chance for wine lovers to taste the perfect pairing of wine with seafood at participating restaurants and win a 3D/2N stay for TWO at an award winning 5 star hotel in Langkawi.

Follow #cloudybaymsia on Instagram and simply share your best Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2013 and paired seafood menu. Remember to hashtag #cloudybaymsia and tag @cloudybayseafoodtrail. The instagrammer with the most photos of paired seafood menu from as many participating restaurants WILL win.

Log on to: www.facebook.com/cloudybay/app_571885416178049

 

It’s a yearly affair that one should not miss. For more information about the Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc Seafood Tasting Trail, please visit their Facebook: www.facebook.com/cloudybay


Listed below are the other participating outlets in Petaling Jaya and Kuala Lumpur with their own seafood creations:

Signature @ The Roof

Sky level, 1 First Avenue, Bandar Utama, 47800 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

T. +6016 229 1505

Las Carretas Damansara

Las Carretas Mexican Restaurant 10 Jalan Semantan, 50490 Kuala Lumpur, Bukit Damansara, Malaysia

T. +60 3-2093 0380

Black Market

Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

T. +60 17-321 8686

Caffeinees

16 Jalan Kampung Pandan, Desa Pandan, 55000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

T. +60 3-2144 8686

WIP

Lot G 111, Ground floor, Bangsar Shopping Centre, 285 Jalan Maarof, 55000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

T. 03 2094 1789

The Point Bar & Dining Room

First & Second Floor, No. 122, Jalan Kasah, Damansara Heights, Bukit Damansara, Kuala Lumpur

T. 03-2011-8008

Tanzini

GTower, 199 Jalan Tun Razak, 50400 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

T. 60 3-2168 1899

Bistro A Table

6 Jalan 17/54, Seksyen 17, 46400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

T. 03-7931 2831

*A full list of participating outlets can be viewed on #cloudybaymsia Instagram site. Terms & conditions apply.

**More photos available at my Facebook: Chasing Food Dreams

Samsung Debuts The New Samsung NX Mini SMART Camera!

Carry Small, Capture All with the new Samsung NX Mini SMART Camera

Last Saturday, quite a few bloggers and myself were treated to a glorious experience by Samsung Malaysia Electronics at the latest ultimate selfie camera, the Samsung NX Mini Camera!  I have been hooked to photography ever since I had my blog and to be able to explore the city with the latest Samsung NX Mini camera was definitely a treat.

Samsung Malaysia Electronics had launched the NX Mini, Samsung’s slimmest and lightest interchangeable-lens camera to-date. The portable and sleek design of the NX mini SMART camera is the coolest device for great photography with its NFC and WiFi capabilities, stunning image quality and easiest camera for selfies or wefies.

We congregate early at NU Sentral for a quick briefing before we were group up and themed up for our tour of the city’s iconic heritage spots. After a light breakfast, we group up and headed towards the LRT station to head down to Central Market and Petaling Street. I was ecstatic about my theme and no prizes for guessing that I got Gastronomical Food.

Of course before we head on to our journey, some of us had to test out our selfie or wefie!

Certainly is the easiest and coolest camera to maneuver a selfie as the Samsung NX Mini has a 75.2mm (3.0 inch) Flip-up and Touch Display that rotates 180-degrees. Never been able to master a selfie, I was pleased with this feature as selfies have now become effortless and easy-breezy!

I was told by other bloggers that the NX Mini also has a new Wink shot feature that makes it the perfect hands-free device for selfies or wefies. In addition, after one has downloaded the Samsung SMART Camera app, one can even control the NX Mini from your phone… isn’t that the coolest?

Traveling with the NX Mini has never been easier… it’s slim and sleek design weighs only 158g for the body alone with a width of 22.5mm. Depending on the lens, the NX Mini is still really portable and one can easily slip this into a small bag or pocket.

Check out our city shots with the NX Mini…

The colors are amazing and the quality is pretty awesome for such a small camera. One can even choose manual mode or control the various aperture or ISO to suit the environment.

There are also various SMART features that allows one to choose the best option for food, macro, speed and more. Imagine all these pack into the tiny NX Mini!

Hand-pulled ice cream looked so good and I managed to capture the seller’s extremely quick reflex when she deftly pulled the ice cream on to a cone!

I adored the vibrant colors of the camera with this photo.

Some of us even tried selfie jumpshots photos…

 Using the Panaroma feature, I managed to capture an amazing shot of the city!

After exploring the streets, we group back and head on to Johnny Rockets at Avenue K for lunch. While lunch was served, there was plenty of selfies and wefies. We just can’t help it, NX Mini was simply made for it!

Samsung Electronics Malaysia was also generous and held a competition for the best Instagram photo that best suited the assigned themed. The SMART camera feature allows us to transfer our photos from the camera to our phone right away. It was instant gratification as I can post up my photos to my Facebook and Instagram with just a few clicks. The features are user-friendly and it certainly didn’t take us long to do this…

A lucky blogger walked away with a brand new NX Mini that day!

The Samsung NX Mini Camera comes in 5 colors – Black, White, Pink, Mint and Brown. The Samsung NX Mini is priced at RM1399 with 9mm f3.5 lens and Rm1699 with kit lens.

There are endless possibilities that the NX Mini has that I can’t wait to discover. Stay tune with me as I explore the journey of capturing priceless moments with my Samsung NX Mini Camera within the next few months on my Facebook and Instagram.

Thanks again to Samsung Malaysia Electronics and Manoah Consulting for this exciting journey with the NX Mini!

 

McDonald’s GCB™ is back…

…and this time, GCB™ is back for good!

Because you ask for it, it’s back! McDonald’s Grilled Chicken Burger (GCB™) fans can now enjoy the whole tender grilled chicken thigh GCB™ burger from April 2014 onwards. Available now for 365 days a year, it was due to overwhelming suggestions through its communication channels to make GCB™ available on a daily basis ever since it was introduce to Malaysians in 2010.

I took my little one together with Choi Yen and her family for a taste of GCB™ at the McDonald’s outlet at The Curve recently. Needless to say, the kids were jumping with joy at the first sight of McDonalds. This outlet also has a large kids’ playground area and a private room upstairs for any private functions.

D got his usual Happy Meal of Chicken Nuggets with Milo and French Fries with a small toy. I have to admit, I am also a fan of the nuggets… crispy chicken bites dipped with their BBQ sauce makes a nice snack for me.

Feeling ravenous, I was told of the Double Patty GCB™ and went straight for it! My soft golden toasted but held two thick pieces of nicely grilled chicken thigh with shredded lettuce and their groovy chargrilled sauce. Savory and sweet, the flavors are familiar and delightful. Of course, I had their fries and soda too…

The kids had a great time at the playground while I enjoyed my must-have Chocolate Sundae…

The GCB™ is now available at all McDonald’s restaurants. Get your fix 365 days a year… J

To celebrate the launch of the grilled chicken permanently on the menu and reward their most passionate customers, McDonald’s is organizing “The Ultimate Grilled Chicken Lover” contest from 15 April to 14 May 2014. To prove that they are true grilled chicken lovers, customers can grab GCB™ at McDonald’s, collect their receipts, and mail them by 20^th May 2014 to “The Ultimate Grilled Chicken Lover Contest, Suite 505, PG-15A, Jaya33, Jalan Semangat, Seksyen 13, 46200 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.”

The top 5 customers with the highest number of GCBs™ purchased will win 1 year’s supply of the GCBs™. The 6^th – 15^th placed winners will win 1 month’s supply and the 16^th – 50^th placed winners will be rewarded with 1 week’s supply of GCBs™. Contest details are available on www.facebook.com/My/McDonalds and via in-store leaflets.