Archive for May 2009
Sigh!
Well, I can’t ignore the rattling noise anymore, so finally sent my car to the “hospital”. Hehe. And the bill *drumrolls* amounts to:
YIKES! Someone’s gotta pay for that! 
Try and guess what those charges are for. You know, if you’re really bored.. or you like to demonstrate your car repair workshop savviness.
Gems on YouTube: The Synergy
Once in a while someone posts stuff on Facebook to share and when they’re interesting I click on them. More often than not, I end up feeling WHOA. Like after watching this clip.
There’s nothing much in the first 2 minutes but after that the violin starts to kick in and it becomes really awesome! I believe DJ Leiley is local and so is Tom the violinist. I’m not sure, but my favorite part would have to be the crescendo at 2.18-2.30. I would so dance to that! Thank you Dewi for sharing! 
MY KNK ADVENTURES: Sumbiling Eco-Village
A few weeks ago, in April, I went on my very first KNK (Kenali Negara Kitani) Adventure. Our destination was the much raved about Sumbiling Eco-Village smack in the middle of Temburong District.
Our guides were Nassir, together with his father-in-law, Apai and his brother-in-law, Likung. They were very accommodating, warm and friendly, and had since become the standard I measure all other guides with. I think I learnt more in that one day than one week in University!
I call this picture: BUTTress 
Right, so anyway, when we arrived, we were served breakfast, and then after the general introductions to his family, his wife and such, we were sent on our way across the Motong River on a longboat so we may start our jungle trek. The trek was easy and leisurely, and we had enough time to take pictures, and once in a while Nassir will stop to show us interesting herbs, plants or animals that are used daily in the traditional Iban way of living.
Here are some of the memorable ones:
Fiddlehead (Pakis): A type of forest fern, which can be very good for healing wounds. Apparently eaten most by women after childbirth while in confinement.
Our national flower, the Simpur. I’ve featured the leaf in one of my recipes a few months back. The flower, it seems, could be used as bait for catching freshwater fish.
Some forest berries that tasted like a cross between lychee and raspberry. I loved these! Nassir taught us how to find them and I ate like 20 or so of these sweet babies. I have no idea what they’re called but please add this to my list of favorite fruits!
A bright coloured edible flower. It tasted somewhat uniquely tangy and fragrant. It was to be featured in our delicious lunch later. I suspect it would also taste lovely in a salad with fresh rosemary and rocket, with a simple balsamic dressing.
We also found some local wild ginseng! We were lucky enough to receive this as a parting gift from the Iban family. I’m sure no explanation is needed as to the health benefits of ginseng.
But of course, not all of the plants and trees were edible. In the lush fauna of the jungle we found some amazing plants that I really have never seen before. Our photobloggers would enjoy it here, there were so many things to shoot!
The bush of thorns! Careful: Don’t touch!
This plant grows all over the forest. Looks like coral from under the sea.
Look at that. They look like fingers. Hehe. The evil claw!
And of course most unique of all, this peculiar mushroom that looked so clean and pristine.
I don’t really know what this is, but some sort of a liana? Interesting all the same. The kind of thing you expect to see on Discovery Channel hehe.
More smurf homes.
And we kept on seeing these broom-like things in the river.
And of course, where there is flora, there is definitely fauna.
I spy with my little eye, a tiny brown poisonous frog!
Freshwater snails to be featured in our lunch! You find these underneath rocks in the river.
Footprints from a Jungle Chicken. Hehe. Not in our lunch.
And of course, aside from the education, there was much eating and frivolousness.
Pretending to climb. In actual fact if I even pull that vine with minimal strength, it’ll surely bring down a whole ecosystem. Nassir was very patient with our nonsense poses.
Scaring the fishes. Further down the river was a little net to catch a few fishes. Our job was to scare the fishes and make them go for the trap. Huhu, I say job well done.
Ate some jungle stuff. (Yum!)
Behold Likung trying to stab me with a liana. Haha. Kidding. The liana contained delicious fresh water inside and tasted like… Perrier! Haha. More evidence that I will just about eat anything. Notice the expression of sheer pleasure on my face.
There were some good, quiet moments too.
Some moments where we were at peace with nature.
And some moments where I didn’t look very at peace with nature! LOL
Then lunchtime came, so we cleaned up in their very cool, environmentally designed bathroom areas:
Then ate in open air, underneath some shade:
A buffet!
Amazing Iban cuisine
And my greedilly piled on plate! I deserved this after all that swimming and hiking. Hehehe.
I really had fun in the Eco-Village! Since the place is run by Ibans, they will be having a Gawai festival this 1st of June. I think it sounds interesting. If you are interested in going there, go and head on over to their blog for more information.
My Favorite Recipe Auction on Radio
If you guys haven’t heard the book was sold for $5586. And tune in to Kristal FM like.. NOW because Rano & Marul are in the studio and they are going to unveil the winner of the book in like 3 minutes!!!
:D:D
Excapade Regent Square, Kiulap
One of the restaurants that I never fail to vote for in The Miele Guide, is Excapade Sushi. It´s actually surprising how I have actually never written about this place before. My whole Japanese vocabulary was learnt from the menu. My host family in Japan, last year, always laugh when I can´t even pronounce (and at this very moment can´t even remember what it means) simple Japanese words like ¨daijobou¨ but can recite the ingredients of an okonomiyaki one by one in Japanese.
But digressing aside, I really like Excapade. Boipren and I have a running joke where whenever we encounter bad service from a restaurant waitress, we´d always remark, ¨mun kaja di Excapade kana gulung udah dalam nasi¨. In short, their service has become a hallmark that we measure other restaurants with.
My favorite branch remains the cozy and small Kiulap one. Sometimes I crave for a Japanese dinner, or am just feeling nostalgic and missing home in Fukushima, armed with a very good book, I enter the wooden doors. I´ve met many kinds of characters on the train, and many book genres too!
Today I met two more new characters in Excapade, Kiulap, the second branch. But first let me dissipate all the worry lines on your forehead: they´re not closing down the old Kiulap branch. This will be the 5th branch of Excapade Sushi in Brunei.
Anyway, back to the 2 new characters I met today, I really think that I need to write about them. Also, by now, if you´re still reading, I´m sure you know by now that this is not a food review.
They are two people we seldom think about whenever we take that bite of rice ball wrapped in inari, yet without them, we´d probably could only dream about the awesomeness that is dipping raw fish in wasabi and soy sauce. They are the two people who indirectly taught me my Japanese, using that picture encyclopaedia they call ¨Menu¨, the very successful owners of the Excapade franchise.
I was first of all, surprised to see how young they were. I´m not sure if I can use their names here, but let´s call them M & S. I´ve actually seen them around before this in my numerous visits to the Excapade branches, but I always dismiss them as waiters.
Wouldn´t you? I remember seeing M standing near the door, in Excapade Gadong once, greeting each and every single customer that came in and out of the restaurant, and all Excapade goers will know, that restaurant is always full. Sometimes a greeting is all a customer needs, and I´ve never seen a restaurant that has it´s owner opening doors for people. If that is how much he values customer service, then it is no wonder why Excapade´s waiters are some of the best in the country. They´re fast, they´re efficient, they´re friendly, and when they make mistakes, they´re very quick to apologise and get the matter resolved.
It was wonderful to see S too today. A petite lady, wearing a simple and light grey cashmere cardigan over a crisp white blouse and slate long pants. She looked her part: professional, practical and modest, yet her ponytail showed how she´s very down-to-earth. But let her sweet demeanor not fool anyone, if the 5 branches of Japanese restaurants is any evidence, clearly behind that soft smile, lay a sharp business mind.
Here is some trivia: do you know why there are 2 branches in Kiulap?
Answer: Well because after so many requests, they realised they need one branch that doesn´t require climbing 2 flight of stairs, and is big enough to accommodate wheelchairs. In other words, they need one that is handicap-friendly. No one should be deprived of tempura no mater how physically challenged they are!
The whole of Pusat Ehsan was invited for the soft opening today to illustrate this point. And they´re right, it got noisy as usual, as are all Excapade branches, but it was still roomy.
Try out the new Excapade Branch. A little different from the one in Gadong or Kiulap, but I like it. So before I end, here is some words said by the guy pictured above before he left:
Bye! So long!
All pictures are taken by Marul.
To read more, click below:
Fun & Games and THE AUCTION!
Book is still available at Shop@Sarah, Level 2 (First Floor BAH!) at Kiulap Mall. 20 copies left!
Have you got a copy of the recipe book yet??? Holy guacamole things just got even hotter in the oven! Don´t miss it! You know we´re always up to these fun little things. Yes, the book comes with a built in game. Sounds like a job for CHEF SHERLOCK HOLMES!
The thing is you´re supposed to figure out 3 different ingredients missing from 3 different recipes! It is EXTREMELY easy! There are three separate recipes in the book that have something missing! You have to go through the 47 recipes to find out and if you are a foodie, it is so painfully obvious.
The clues are:
C1 : a missing ingredient.
C2: Same ingredient of Clue 1 , a different recipe and the amount is just way too much.
C3: Wrong method of cooking.
Just go through the book and you will find out in an INSTANT. *snaps fingers* This is our way of thanking you all for your support and donations!
Tune in to DJ Honey´s Show on Kristal FM on Friday Morning 8th May 2009. The answers will finally be revealed! And hey, of course there is a prize for the 3 winners!
The 3 winners will get 3 desserts vouchers from Bunny´s Yummies amounting $40 each. I ENVY YOU!!!
In other news, is it hotline or what for the signed copy of My Favorite Recipes? The auction is stil going on at Ranoadidas.com and it is currently bid for $386. The organisers of the Recipe Book are all waiting with bated breath. Will we reach $500??? Bid quick! Send a man to the Special Olympics!
Special Olympics Carnival 2009: MY FAVORITE RECIPES by Foodie Bloggers
The two (enviously tall) princesses consenting to visit the Foodie Bloggers Booth. I wish I’m tall. And maybe thinner…
But of course this post will not be about my irrational insecurities. (Or so I say) It is about the marvellous day we had at the Special Olympics Carnival! It was awesome!
Volunteers!
Here’s some trivia: The recipe book coincidentally had a lot of green on the cover. Green was the theme of the carnival. OMG! We so didn’t know that! Definitely meant to be. Hahaha.
We sold exactly 100 copies of the Foodie Bloggers’ Recipe Book with the help of Pablo, Muaz, and our wonderful volunteers!!! Thanks boys and girls! (They think I’m a student.. Awwwww~) I am very glad that the spirit of voluntarism and activism is alive in our youth. They make volunteering seem cool! Keep it up!
Just a thought, I wonder who the 100th buyer was, I missed her since I was manning the Magic Show booth as well (will talk more on this later). According to our volunteers, she’s Chinese. I know, obviously they’re not very good in the describing-what-people-look-like part.
And at the end of a tiring day, the money goes to a good cause. All the deliciousness and fun, they come up to bigger cause.
If you are still interested in buying the recipe book, we have a bout 100 copies left (we sold the rest on Facebook!) and if you want to get your hands on one, please make your way to the very nice smelling Shop@Sarah’s at Level 2, Kiulap Mall.
Even DPMM Players are in love with our recipe book! Hahaha.
For more information and pictures of the event:
