At a six2twelve event at Nadayu
Peak hour traffic has been a lot more bearable these days thanks to the recent law to prevent heavy vehicles from plying the road at specific hours. We have been trained to seek comfort in instant gratification and I’d like to propose the following to the kerajaan for a more congestion free drive:-
1. Impose a minimum speed limit, so that we can outlaw cars going below 80 km/h on the highways. The slow lane will no longer be a slow lane. Fast and furrriooous.
2. Outlaw buses as well, because they’re heavy and slow and make too many stops. Also, when one bus driver sees another, he will insist on driving parallel with the other bus driver to exchange notes across the lanes, like how many packets of nasi lemak he ate for breakfast, and who his favourite singer on Akademi Fantasia is.
3. Motorcycles below 500cc should be banned because they always appear (or in this case, disappear) in the blind spot. Motorcycles above 500cc are only allowed if the rider is hot and under 40.
4. Cars with registration plates beginning with the letter W will only be allowed on the highways on Wednesdays and Weekends. And Wesak Day.
With such measures in place, the authorities can pat themselves on their backs for yet another job well done. It will not be necessary for them to explore the root of the problem (if any).
La Risata (photo courtesy of Way Cheng)
Party At La Risata (photos courtesy of Alex Tan)
Last weekend was a little fast and furrriooous for me too, and my ageing body has been protesting since. I reckon a lot of establishments are trying to get their outlets ready before Ramadan, and so places like Doubletree by Hilton has made its debut with the usual pomp and circumstance, but unfortunately not all the restaurants are ready. Our visit there last Friday was to some disappointment as we had expected to dine at Tosca, the Italian restaurant at Doubletree, but ended up dining at Makan Kitchen, a buffet serving Malay, Chinese, Indian, Nyonya and Iban cuisine because the Italian restaurant wasn’t open yet. More about the food at Makan Kitchen in another post.
At Daikanyama’s 1st Year Party
Saturday evening saw us attending three events, the first of which was a six2twelve event showcasing the collaboration of three groups, Aubergine, Fluid Alchemy and Nook Flowers. Again, more in another post. The second was the re-launch of La Risata at Ampang after its recent renovation and revamp of menu. All I can say is, the place looks pretty sexy now. But then again, that could be attributed to the many masked guests who were present to celebrate its reopening. I can’t wait to try La Risata’s full menu soon. Our final pit stop on Saturday was at one of our favourite restaurants along Changkat Bukit Bintang, Daikanyama, where we were happy to celebrate their first year anniversary with them. The owners were generous with their sake and food, and despite stuffing our faces at the earlier events, we still had room for Daika. We’ll always have room for Daika. Corny, but true.
The cold station at Prego
I was recently invited to Prego to sample the Sunday Bubbly Brunch (thanks Marian Eu and Westin KL for your kind invitation). I’m going to lay my cards on the table first. For a long time, I had not been much of a fan of Prego thanks to a couple of unsatisfactory meals there, and as a result of that, I had stayed away from it like the plague. It was thanks to a dinner there earlier this year with a certain prolific blogger (who practically dragged me by the hair and forced me to dine at Prego) that I learnt that perhaps I had been a little too harsh in judging this restaurant.
Chef David King
Prego’s charm lies in its personable service. And the fact that when someone drops something, all the wait staff whoop and clap in joyous exuberance (they’re closet actors…all of them).
G.H.Mumm champagne
The best thing about Prego’s Sunday Bubbly Brunch is its Bubbly. For RM268++ per person, one gets to enjoy free flow food and champagne, to be specific, G.H.Mumm bubbly. For those who are not so inclined, there is also Smirnoff Vodka, SKYY Vodka, Grey Goose and Italian Prosecco – Prosecco Batasiolo Cascine 7.
The cold station offers coffin bay oysters, spring bay black mussels and tiger prawns on ice, while salmon lovers can pick from a selection of rosemary smoked salmon, bake breaded salmon, steam pickled salmon and honey cured salmon. Aside from the extensive display of salads (my favourite being the marinated artichoke salad), they also serve a bounty of beautiful imported Italian cheeses including tallegio, gorgonzola, asiago, aged parmesan, fontina, pecorino, smoked scarmoza…gasp…you get the idea.
Like any idyllic bubbly buffet, if you’re unable to stand up due to the copious amount of alcohol which you would have undoubtedly imbibed, fear not because the servers come to you with freshly cooked wood fired pizza (sottobosco, quattro formaggi, margherita, pizzicosa…), pastas (penne, fusili, oriechette…) in various types of sauces (alfredo, napoletana, puttanesca…), risotto (delicious mushroom risotto and four cheeses risotto), meat and seafood. Of special mention should be the red wine braised wagyu beef cheek, succulent and tender, and flavourful lamb shank.
The barbeque station located outside displays a spiced marinated whole lamb on spit, octopus, flower crab and other meats and seafood.
Desserts include cakes and tarts and their trademark chocolate souffle (made to order), served with a scoop of malt ice cream.
And when you’re done, just ask for some more.
Prego’s Sunday Bubbly Brunch is available every Sunday from 11.30am to 2.30pm, serving food and free flow of bubbly champagne, Italianesque cocktails, wines, house pouring spirits and beer at RM268++ per person. (Enjoy 20% discount off on selected alcoholic beverages from 2.30pm to 4.30pm if you extend your brunch.) For a non-alcoholic brunch experience, the price is RM168++ per person and RM84++ for children aged 4 – 12 years old. For reservations, please contact Westin Dining at 03-27738338 or log on to westindining.com.my for more information.
OMG. An accountant with a passion! I love you already!
actually, in downtown kl at least, all that’s really needed is more sensible traffic control at the intersections. policemen who jaga the junctions never coordinate properly with their colleagues up and down the road. traffic lights cause unnecessary bottlenecks (jln ampang into jln yap kwan seng, jln dang wangi into jln sultan ismail) that spill over to surrounding streets.
i’m waiting for a bold restaurant to offer a weekday free-flow champagne lunch! 😀
no wonder you got no time to fit us in ler…. great post.. i see u killed 5 birds with one stone;)
excellent shots and i luv ur way with words.. can feel the hectic vibe.. feel the vibrant soul of the parties:) LL is blogging queen.. MORE pls MORE!
hilarious beginning! but somehow i seem so distant to the “traffic jam” situation, i wonder why.
u knw if u can down a bottle of Mumm at one sitting (which i believe anyone who has ever attended a FBB bubbly party can do), you would have already made your money back!
Brilliant proposal for traffic management – in fact, any new townships in the planning ought to seriously consider all of them. Cars with W number plates outlawed on highways weekdays – hell yeah!! (Helps that I don’t drive a W plate, teehee!)
Shawn Lee: We’re creative accountants…although that doesn’t sound quite right!
Sean: Absolutely! City traffic is even worse than highway traffic and I sympathize with you. One would think that in this era of new fangled radio devices, they’d communicate better, but sigh…it’s going back to the root of the problem…
Eh I thought you don’t do lunches wot?
Aiyo. W plate cars on Wednesdays, Weekends and Wesak. Then B plate cars leh? LOL
Mmmm. LUV the bubbly buffet at the Westin. Looks like you and all the other beautiful bloggers had a fun day out. 🙂
(Erm. But why does FBB look so pensive in the photo? Or is that his “cool” pose?)
wah, your social calendar is so happening lah. Befitting your title of Queen Bee 🙂
Eh, mana boleh! My car is J registration leh…
The food and bubbly look gorgeous… and the people more so. You are getting lovelier and lovelier with every year, my dear. 🙂
*muacks*
That fig really looked obscenely sinful, oozing with that rich gooey creamy cheese! T’was a “hot” brunch too, wasn’t it, hehe! And everyone turned so rosy 🙂
ciki: lol…am not like you…can’t blog daily, hence the 5-in-1 post. *grin* It was a funfilled weekend, for sure. Now paying the price. *groan* Thanks, dear…you’re always so generous with your compliments.
lotsofcravings: show off!!! 😛 😛 Well, you’re lucky that you now live in a city where there is better town and road planning. Ya, we could all make Prego go bankrupt easily. 😀
minchow: thanks for your vote of support! I shall be campaigning in the next elections! 😀 Like you, I don’t drive a car with a W numberplate either. teehee.
J: B plates are allowed anytime…prerogative of the self-appointed councillor. 😀 Oh that’s FBB’s new pose. He’s trying to look sexy.
A Lil Fat Monkey: Not all the time. There are weekends where I rot at home doing absolutely nothing and loving it. 🙂
Life for Beginners: Oh, J should just remain in Johor. Ah, you’re such a sweettalker….bet you say that to all the girls.
Pureglutton: Yeah, the figs were delicious, weren’t they? Eh, you calling yourself hot too ar? *grin* But you are lah. 🙂
wow, your social schedule puts rosmah to shame. she’s about as happening as a nun in siberia compared with you.
FBB: Thanks. She is my idol.
who? the nun in siberia? dont be fooled by her virgin exterior. a virile young monk, leapt into her bunk, and now she’s the mother superior.
No, Rosmah. I didn’t realise she was a virgin. Or not. She slept with a monk? How did a monk gain entry into a convent? His bald head and mustard loincloth would have been a dead giveaway. Must be nice to have mixed children. Do they call her Mother or Sister?
how about ppl like me can’t be on motorcycle over 500cc cos i too lighttttt
I guess you’ll have to walk to work then, KY! 😀 😀
I follow your food blogs and make an attempt to arrange ME-time to indulge in the things I can afford or reach (ie. within Malaysia) and I swear if I had not been drinking too much of those bubbles that afternoon, I would have recognized you from the camera loaded bunch sitted outside.
NoEyeDeer: Well perhaps we’ll meet one day. 🙂 KL is, after all, a kampung. (Nice way of enjoying a Sunday afternoon, btw….most of the time, I’m just catching up on sleep!)
haha. i love your ingenius method to curb traffic! Ooo, what a coincidence, me and a friend was just talking about this prego champagne brunch, i mean who needs food when you get free flow champagne for 3 whole hours? I think RM268 is quite reasonable provided if all you drink is champagne and waste no tummy space on food!
Augustdiners: Seems so easy to come up with ideas to curb traffic as long as you don’t care what the root of the problem is, isn’t it? 🙂 I like your philosophy about wasting tummy space on food. hahaha. we’ll get along just fine!
Hi,
Warm Greetings from Prego.
Thank you for sharing your pleasant experience with us.
We are delighted to hear of your experience. We had a wonderful time having you around and look forward to seeing you back soon.
Best Wishes Naveen,
Restaurant Prego Manager
This sounds like something that my Hubby would love…. “free flow champagne” 🙂
Naveen: Thanks, and I look forward to visiting again.
Baby Sumo: Hahaha….quick make reservations! 😀
Prego still gives out those red noses?
Thought you were eating a frog, instead of octopus. On second thoughts, looks like Puddleglum..
Ahh.. the last time I had made-to-order choc souffle was at Biba’s MO KL. Heavenly it was. No other dessert section ever quite matched up after that.
You’d look gorgeous in cerise, burgundy and venetian red. Why not switch with BE for a change and let him wear black once in a while?
Hey, don’t discriminate W cars. W should be allowed on 1,3,5 and B 2,4,6. On Sundays, only H as everyone would be too drunk to drive home.. ^_^
BTW, La Risata photos from Tony ar?
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