Favourites from the Blog, and Our #JustRanting Before 2016 Ends

2016 is almost coming to an end. We would like to say a big thank you to merchants, PR, blogger friends and readers for all the supports and chances given to us throughout the year. In this post, allow us to summarize some of our best experience in 2016, including our favourite restaurants, cafes and products that you can find in Malaysian Flavours blog post, plus thoughts that seldom mention in this blog. Hope you can reading till the end.

2016 Favourite Theme Park – Universal Studios Japan Harry Potter Wizarding World

We feel blessed to have 2 trips this year, one to Hong Kong and another in Japan. Nothing to proud of comparing to many other travelers but we are already thankful, seeing that Summerkid’s full-time job makes him hard to go on long leave. And yeah, our favourite place this year is Harry Potter Wizarding World in Universal Studios Osaka, Japan! So thrilled to step into a theme park with all familiar characters and scene from Harry Potter books go alive!

2016 Favourite Home Product – Soda Xpress Sparkling Water Machine

For more than a year, we have been eye-ing on Soda Xpress every time we pass by Chatime. Finally get one, because we can’t stand ourselves from buying unhealthy, sugar-overloaded carbonated drink so often, literally, almost everyday. This SodaXpress works really great as it turns plain water into sparkling water within 5 seconds, with no electricity needed. Tasty on its own without adding any sugar or syrup. Certainly more healthy, yet you get to enjoy the same fizzy sensation that soft drink can offer.

2016 Favourite Cafes – Artelier Coffee Pavilion KL, Chocha Foodstore KL, Gravy Baby, A.Toast Pudu KL, The Common Man Coffee Roaster TTDI

So many cafes so little money. There are plenty of nice cafes across the town, from those near to our staying place in KL to as far as Klang, Shah Alam. We don’t get to try them all do check out some of the best we have tried -Artelier Coffee, Chocha Foodstore, A.Toast Pudu KL, The Common Man Coffee Roaster.

Masa san back in action with the opening of Artelier Coffee in Pavilion KL. So fans of WA Cafe, cheers. No reason for not liking their coffee, and a beverage named “dirty” is a must.

Humbly located in Pudu KL, A.Toast earns its reputation from their delicious sandwich, served from a charming house like cafe. From simple open faced toast topped with soft boiled egg to more flavourful egg chicken floss sandwich in charcoal bread, or kimchi sandwich, A.Toast manage to score high. Spaghetti, fruit juice are available too. For coffee, normal but great to go along with your sandwich. Go for the black/

Chocha Foodstore at Petaling Street first got our attention from their interior in century-old building. Modern fusion Chinese comfort food here is great, and their tea is even better.

The Common Man Coffee Roaster, the famous roaster from Singapore is the latest cafe opened in TTDI, probably the last few before 2016 ends. Menu in The Common Man Coffee is carefully crafted, expensive but worth the price. Portion and quality speak for themselves.

2016 Favourite Underrated Hidden Cafe – Someplace Beautiful Sentul, Li Damansara (Non-Halal) , The Prep Room

While some cafes receive plenty of exposure thanks to social media, some cafes which are equally worthwhile didn’t. Perhaps there should get more attention in the year of 2017. Try Someplace Beautiful in D7 Sentul KL, a new venture by Artisan Roastery with new focus in tea.

Li Damansara Jaya near Atria Shopping Mall has been around for almost a year, and they serve superb food at reasonable price. They care on what ingredients are used in their dishes, and ensure the best concoction possible for awesome flavours. Pork toast is mind-blowing, even simple porridge with ikan bilis and dehydrated kailan is worth a mentioned.

Hand-drawn menu, fresh ingredients, lots of hearts in preparation, great service – Prep Room Cafe in Jalan Sri Hartamas in one of the most memorable cafe for us. Coffee is decent, waffle that goes through the right fermentation process makes it so noteworthy.

2016 Favourite Home-Japanese Restaurants – Aka Cafe Taman Desa, Nippori Empire Damansara

We like Japanese food, especially those in Teishoku style. Both Aka Cafe in Taman Desa and Nippori Cafe in Empire Damansara serve pretty lovely home-cooked food. Colourful combination from different ingredients make our lunch and dinner on table look more cheerful, certainly. For Aka Cafe, it is more homey, down-to-earth selections. Sometimes they have special bento to go with special season, like Sakura Bento Box. While for Nippori, you get fancier, wider selections.

2016 Favourite Cheap Eats – Thong Kee Pandan Indah, Suukee Coffee SS2, Mama Love Pork Noodles Cheras

Suukee Coffee is a surprise found. They serve authentic Teluk Intan Street Food that Summergirl had tried and stamped for approval. Well, Summergirl wasn’t happy with a stall in PJ who claims themselves selling original Teluk Intan Chee Cheong Fun but the stall lined up with Yong Tau Fu Chee Cheong Fun. Teluk Intan doesn’t pride for Chee Cheong Fun in this way OK? Anyway, Suukee has got no chee cheong fun, but curry mee, nasi lemak and mee rebus that have a taste of Teluk Intan, very close in fact.

Since our experience with Ah Weng Kopitiam at ICC Pudu KL was really bad. Arrogant boss, messy service, we has switched to Thong Kee Kopitiam at Pandan Indah for good kopi. They serve cheap but tasty croissant sandwiched with butter & kaya, or with ham & egg. Sarawak noodle and chicken rice are always selling fast but for pork noodles, just gives it a skip.

Mama Love Pork Noodle at Cheras KL – a bowl of pipping hot, flavourful pork noodles that worth the waiting. Among the many famous pork noodles shop in Cheras, Mama Love Pork Noodle has the most systematic ordering system. Big portion, generous ingredients and you get unlimited FOC deep fried pork lard (zhu yao zhar) too! But be considerate don’t scoop away all. LOL.

2016 Favourite Non-Halal Restaurants  – Ante Restaurant Bar, Yee Sang Fatt Chinese Restaurant, Soo Kee Restaurant

Ante Restaurant & Bar in Publika is not a new eatery but still, they manage to keep their brands as one of the best pork steak in KL till today. Besides, Curry Char Siew Spaghetti is our all-time-favourite. They’ve opened another outlet in One Utama.

After Western fusion, back to local Chinese Dai Chou. Yee Sang Fatt Chinese Restaurant 易生發 at Pudu KL is the place that Summerkid’s family frequent for dai chao dinner. Yat Ji Guat, One Stick Pork Ribs when translated directly. Hahahaa.. Here is one of the best – Fork-tender meat, dressed in flavourful, thick sauce.

Soo Kee Chinese Restaurant Persiaran Ampang KL is fame for their char siew – Glossy caramalized outer layer, a tad burnt at the side, pun fei sau (half lean half fat) meat. Never fail to enjoy this.

2016 Favourite Dessert Cafes – Fluffed Dessert Cafe Taman Paramount, Patissez Cafe Bangsar/Damansara Uptown

We are never a fan of milkshake and we had tried many disappointed version in KL. Didn’t put much expectation on  Patissez Freakshake when they first opened in Malaysia too. But we were wrong. One sip and we were taken. This milkshake is freaking delicious! Mint Chocolate, Nutalla, Choclate Brownie are all nice!

Fluffed Dessert Cafe is considered a neighbourhood cafe, managed by very young, enthusiastic team. Ice Cream here is wonderful, pairing really well with crispy outside, fluffy soft inside waffle! If you like photography-worthy beverage, their pink colour yeast rice latte in pink colour might be your choice.

2017 Wish – Less plagiarism on social media platforms.. but erm.. is ok.. keep our fingers crossed

More travel, more food but never grow fat body figure is all-time-wish. So maybe something different for our 2017 wish.

Being in blogging world for 7 years, we’ve seen the fast-changing of social media. We understood that there’s a need to go with the flows and changes, but definitely not plagiarism. We spend time on our write up and photography but ended up, some websites and platform just copied them without even acknowledge. We don’t feel good about this, worse when there was once one of our friends said “Copy mai copy loh, who cares, as long as got information ma can la.” Well, perhaps, only those who really work hard to keep their photos and write up original, can feel this. Else, who cares? #justranting

Anyway, 2016 has been awesome for Malaysian Flavours and hopefully, in 2017, we can still have support from readers, merchants and PRs. Follow us on Instagram @malaysianflavours + Facebook Malaysian Flavours and shower us with more love ya! Have a blast!