Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Manmaru Homemade Udon @ Mid Valley Review

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Courtesy to Ah Bok, I am invited to Manmaru Homemade Udon restaurant last night at Mid Valley. It is easily to spot since it located in between Machine and Samsung store. Now, if you're craving for some cheap and satisfying Udon, I highly recommended Manmaru. The served fresh & authentic udon and the restaurant itself running self service concept. Total 10 types of udon for selection and also six side dishes ranging from RM8.90 - RM15.90 for udon.

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We came in a large group and glad we manage to try out all the Udons in the menu :D

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* Kimchi Udon RM11.90 (S) / RM13.90 (L) *

Kimchi Udon is korean style spicy noodle soup. I am not a huge fans of kimchi but I gotta give credit to Manmaru for making excellence kimchi soup on this noodle. The soup is creamy enough and it wasn't exactly spicy too.

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* Curry Udon RM10.90 (S) / RM12.90 (L) *

One of my favouriye gonna be Curry Udon. I love traditional Japanese curry because it wasn't spicy in the same time heavy tasty flavours. The curry in Manmaru is just nice, not too thick not too watery. Thumb up!

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* Cream Corn Udon RM12.90 (S) / RM14.90 (L) *

Cream Corn Udon sauce just like creamy pasta sauce. It is creamy and not too watery too. Nothing much to shout.

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* Niku Udon RM12.90 (S) / RM14.90 (L) *

Niku Udon is a hot udon soup with then sliced beef and spinach. The beef meat is tender and fresh! A must order for beef lover.

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* Kake Udon RM8.90 (S) / RM10.90 (L) *

Kake Udon is the classic soy udon serving where you can see in most Japanese restaurant. It just taste alright and nothing much to shout.

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* Kamaage Udon RM12.90 *

My first time seeing Kamaage Udon. It is an udon that you have to eat by dipping it (not pouring the sauce!) inside the sauce known as Kamaage. It is one of the traditional udon eating style in Japan.

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* Ume Udon RM10.90 (S) / RM12.90 (L) *

Ume Udon is a refreshing udon served with pickled plum. It is sour based soup so maybe girl will like it? :P

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* Bukake Udon RM9.90 (S) / RM11.90 (L) *

Dont think dirty, Bukake Udon is a cold udon with thick fish broth. As much as I hate easting soup based noodle, I don't think I like my noodle served in cold too :/ but hey don't get me wrong, the taste is good but still weird eating noodle that cold.

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* Zaru Udon RM8.90 (S) / RM10.90 (L) *

Zaru Udon also a cold udon that topped with shredded nori (edible seaweed) and served on a zaru, a sieve-like bamboo tray. No idea what's the sauce is but according to google it is strong mixture of dashi, mirin, and shoyu.

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* Kamo Seiro Udon RM13.90 (S) / RM15.90 (L) *

Kamo Seiro Udon is a cold soba noodles with hot duck gravy. Duck lover should really try this udon!

Managed to have some side orders too courtesy of the Manmaru CEO. Nothing much to shout, everything is taste good and just nice.

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Overall, good experience dining in Manmaru. The interior lighting is bright enough (I am sick of dim lighting restaurant) and the service is fast.

For more info, click a LIKE on their Facebook page, Manmaru Homemade Udon or visit their official page, http://manmaru.com.my/

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Belvedere 212VIP Party @ The Roof ft DJ Tenashar

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I don't recall when was the last time I attended such event - party, drinks, DJ Spinning. Damn I sound like oldhag now but I am sure I am still capable to take on such mood. It was pretty a sausage feast night with the gang but who care right? As long as drinks and good musics are around ;) Thanks Benjamin for the invites!

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So yea it was Belvedere 212VIP Party last night at The Roof. My second time being here and first time party here. Brought along my Olympus OM-D E-M1 and faithfully Olympus 12mm f2 and also Olympus 45mm f1.8 only for the event. I like how my lens so small that I can easily just put into my jacket pocket and easily switch lenses when I needed to :P Oh I am using the tiny little flash that came together with the camera since E-M1 doesn't have built in flash. In my honest opinion the flash too strong. Need some tweak and practise before I could fully utilize it. Nah, I am too lazy to bring huge ass external flash to party. Small, light and easy is good enough.

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Event started with some dancing on the stage, pool dancing as well and finally the long awaiting DJ Tenashar appeared to spin. Not sure it is my first time able to get close up with DJ. Oh if you're curious, DJ Tenashar now is 87 in top 100 DJ Spinning.

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As usual, some photos with friends before the end of the post ;)

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More photos in my Facebook Page, Jackie A Journey Called Jloi. Click a LIKE on my page maybe?

Thursday, November 21, 2013

HTC Malaysia officially launches One Max


Just came back from HTC Malaysia event. Today HTC Malaysia officially launches the new One series known as One Max at Elegantology, Publika. HTC One Max is a phablet that came with 5.9 inch screen size and all the features from the original HTC One.





Here are the key specification of HTC One Max :


  • 5.9" 1080p with IPS display
  • 1.7GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 chipset Krait 300 processor
  • Adreno 320
  • 2GB RAM
  • 4MP back facing UltraPixel camera with 1080p@30fps video recording (Without Optical Image Stabilization)
  • 2.1MP front facing camera with 1080p video recording
  • 16/32 GB internal memory with expandable microSD
  • 3,300 mAh
  • Android 4.3 Jelly Bean with HTC Sense 5.5
  • 217g
  • 164.5 x 82.5 x 10.29mm
  • Price : RM 2499



HTC One Max comes with a fingerprint sensor on its back. You can easily unlock the device by just swiping your finger on the small square sensor below the camera or enabled quick app launch, which means that you can make the One Max automatically start an app of your choice depending on the finger you use (Max three) for unlocking it.


There is no Beats Audio support but the stereo BoomSound speakers are on board, bigger and louder than ever. HTC Zoe and also Blinkfeed also on boards with better enchantment now thanks to the newer version of Sense 5.5.



Overall, the HTC One Max is a bigger version of HTC One with larger screen size, larger battery and also expandable microSD via the removable back casing. Abit disappointed they did not come with the latest Snapdragon processor, S800 and a better camera. 4MP Ultrapixel are good but I know most of us are looking forward for 8MP Ultrapixel! Perhaps we will get to see in the next flagship of HTC.


HTC One Max is available on sales starting today at RRP RM 2499 for white color only. Black color will be available by next month. In my personal opinion, the price is too high and premium. I have no doubt on the aluminium built and the elegance design but RM 2499 is just simply couldn't fight with current competitor (Let's say Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and also Sony Xperia Z1) that current already using Snapdragon 800 processor.

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

A Journey to Hong Kong Day 6 : Blake Pier & Jumbo Kingdom

Click in if you haven't read my Journey to Hong Kong Day 5 part 2.

After some crazy full day out at HK Disneyland, on day 6 me and deary wanna do something simple and easy. More or less just for sight seeing and new place explorer. Then again, we woke up late, feel hungry and gonna grab our brunch. I suggested to have KFC. Well, I saw alot Mc Donald around in HK but seriously I hardly see any KFC. Feeling adventurous, we took out the tourist map provided by our guest house and look for KFC. Finally we found one nearby Mong Kok. So yeap! Time for KFC craving!





They have difference menu here which is Italiano Pizza Chicken which actually taste very sweet and more to tomato. The meal set come with $35.50 and also $37.90 that come with rice.


When I was about to grab my first chicken to bite, I felt pressure from people around me. They actually did not eat KFC with their barehand but instead the put a plastic glove on their hand. So hygienic!

Done our lunch, we went back to a location that we missed it last time, Starbuck Bing Sutt!







I love the interior. Very classic! Like those old Hong Kong Char Chan Teng (coffee shop) feel inside. The table, the chair and even the fan look classic!

* The Rustic Bun with Thick Cut Butter *
* Coffee Egg Tart *

We ordered coffee egg tart and also the rustic bun with thick cut butter. Was expecting the Egg tart at least on par with other egg tart shop around HK but it was a bit disappointed. The coffee taste not as heavy as I expected despite that's the flavour for it. The rustic bun with thick cut butter nothing much to shout too. It was alright.

Done our high tea, we went to our next destination, Causeway Bay for sea sight seeing! But unfortunately we didn't manage to get down from bus on time and instead, we drop off at Stanley market. Behind the Stanley Market is Blake Pier, a very nice chilling place with sea and also bazaar around. Even saw alot people took wedding photos there. Yes I know my watermark spell Blake wrongly...



A little history of Blake Pier I got from Wikipedia - The Black Pier name originally referred to Blake Pier, Central, a ferry pier in Central, Hong Kong. The pier was named after Sir Henry Arthur Blake, the twelfth governor of Hong Kong. It was originally located at the site of the Central Reclamation Phase 1 project. The top structure of the pier was later transferred to the open-air oval theatre in Morse Park, in between Wong Tai Sin and Lok Fu, Kowloon. In 2006, the structure was once again transferred next to the Murray House in Stanley, itself dismantled brick by brick and relocated from Central. The pier was recommissioned in Stanley on 31 July 2007.



So yea, more pics of the Blake Pier. Damn love my 7-14mm f4 lens for ulra wide! :D









Done with Blake Pier, we went to out next destination by bus, Jumbo Kingdom, a floating restaurant! I just get to know the Jumbo Kingdom is the shooting location for Stephen Chow old movie, The God of Cookery.





Nop we didn't dine in there. Too luxury for my budget in HK..so yea fml. Just went in to took pics around and chow LOL





Instead of dining in Jumbo Kingdom, we went back to Central for dinner. We went to Tsim Chai Kee Noodle 沾仔記 for their famous Wantan Noodle!



* Fresh Sliced Beef Noodle $23 *

We ordered Fresh Sliced Beef Noodle and it is no doubt good! Big wantan size, nice and tasty sliced beef and pair with great soup. Finally some Hong Kong food I felt is nice beside the Cheese Pork Noodle at Sun Kee Restaurant.

Shop B, G/F Jade Centre
98 Wellington Street, Central, Hong Kong

We wanna go for next round which is Mak's Noodle but unfortunately they already closed shop. Still feeling hungry, we search around nearby for foods to eat and we stumble upon this shop, Kiu Heung Yuan, which claim to be Yunnan made Rice Noodle.


I couldn't read the chinese menu so FML. But basically the ordering is pretty simple. You can ordered a bowl of noodle as basic and top up as much as you want for the extra ingedients such as meat, vegetable etc. You can also choose the level of spiciness of the noodle.


* Yunnan Rice Noodle $29++ *

I love the noodle. The noodles are springy and plentiful. Same goes to the pork neck (extra topping) which very juicy and meaty! Another awesome noodles I had in HK. Also, I enjoy the way I am freely able to customized my foods.

91 Wellington Street, Central, Hong Kong

That's all my Day 6 in Hong Kong. It is rather a plain and simple way to spend. The next post gonna be my final post in Hong Kong. Pheww finally I finished blog about it after delayed it like for almost 4 months LOL.. Guess I just sucks writing travel post. Beat me.