Mr & Ms Cafe, Oasis Ara Damansara

 Mr. & Ms. Cafe is a cosy place which is perfect for a lazy weekend breakfast or brunch. The interior is pretty cosy and the staffs are very friendly. The breakfast menu offers a huge selection of western breakfast choices while the lunch menu which is available from 12pm onwards. I can' t comment for lunch because I did not try it. 

It was pretty crowded on the day that I went there, and I am sure this is the normal weekend crowd. Looking at the blogs, it seem to be one of the hottest breakfast or brunch spots. 

The decor was nice and had an urban touch, despite the dark wooden shelves and the traditional red brick walls. Added on with beautifully lit  filament bulbs, it creates a cozy ambiance. You can see along dainty little decorations such as flower pots and photo frames.

Enough said about the decor, let' s talk about the food. I had to have caffeine fix so I went along with my cappuccino while Joshua wanted his hot chocolate. Both added on to the comfy feeling that we 
already felt in the cafe. 

I ordered the eggs portobello, which fitted well, for me, as I love my mushrooms. to came with poached eggs on top two juicy portobello mushrooms. Served with feta, nuts lentis and grapes, I was surprised that the combination of textures and the sweet grapes just fitted so well. Imagine grapes, nuts and poached eggs, but yeah it worked ! Thick, tender and hearty, these meaty portobello mushrooms can replace your meat anytime.

My boy, however, ordered the Big Breakfast. It is complete with everything that you need,from toast, eggs, ham, herb chicken sausages, bacon, mushrooms & baked beans and not to forget tomatoes. You can choose you eggs  to be poached, scrambled or fried. The only sad thing, it was too big for him. I wish his dad was there to help him finish it up.

Definitely a brunch-tastic place to go after a very late morning. Try it ! 

Lunch at Pantrie, Oasis Ara Damansara

Pantrie serves international western cuisine, and has a menu that showcases the best of Italian, English, French and American dishes. I would say this is one of the better places that I have dined and enjoyed.

It was a Saturday noon, and we arrived there at 12 noon. The place was empty and that immediately made us doubt about the food there. The waiter arrived with the menu and it looked interesting so why not !

I ordered creamed escargot, shelled escargot baked over spinach, topped with mozzarella and crusty breadcrumbs. What a divine tasting dish to start with . Just scoop the delightful cheesy escargot with just enough spinach and cheesy cream into your mouth and enjoy.

My son had the wild mushroom soup. It was good, light, though it was not my favorite. But there wad nothing to complain.

However, my son simply loved the braised lamb shank that was served on top of a blob of creamy mash potato. Tender to the bones and simply flavourful, a he kept raving over it.

But the star of the day was the vanilla creme brulee. Its silky smooth texture simply melts in your mouth.

Pantrie is a good place to head if you want to experience delicious western cuisine, nothing too fancy or over the top, but just hearty, wholesome food. And I should say the service is fairly good too.

Simple, fulfilling lunch : Ayam Masak Merah Malay Style

Lunch today was an accomplishment, with satisfied customers, both hubby and son. The menu: Ayam Masak Merah( Red Chilli Chicken) ,  Acar (;Cucumber and Pineapple Pickle) with 2 choices of rice : Nasi Lemak ( Rice in Coconut Milk) & Carrot Rice.
For the Ayam Masak Merah, grind the below into a paste :
1. Red Chillies
2. Garlic
3. Ginger
4. Scallion
5. Tomatoes
6. Belacan( Shrimp paste)
7. Lemongrass
8. Candlenuts

Marinate the chicken pieces with a tumeric and salt.
Cut and prepare some potatoes, carrots and also can of peas to be added later.

Heat up your wok, fry in some onions and cinnamon sticks until fragrant. Then put in the paste and cook about 15mins. At this point, your kitchen would be filled by the aroma of spices of lemongrass and all.

Add the potatoes and carrots and cook them until half cooked, and then add the chicken in, and let it simmer for about 40mins. Simmering allows the flavours to seep through the chicken. Then add in the peas and  cook for about 5mins ( note I used caned peas). Pour in coconut milk and stir for a couple of minutes. And, voila the dish is ready, easy peasy.

I matched this with Ghee Rice with Shredded Carrots and Pickled Cucumber and Pineapple.

Couscous with grilled salmon

This is a tasty, wholesome dinner recipe for anyone who wants a change in their daily food menu.A quick to make and hassle free dinner for busy moms.

Simply put the couscous in a bowl and pour in boiling water. Stir it and then cover it with a lid. Uncover and fluff it with a pork. I added a little salt and lots of  finely chopped mints, cherry tomatoes and grilled zuchini.

As for the salmon, I marinated it with a little honey and soy sauce, tiny bit of salt and pepper. Then I used the microwave to grill it. When it was done, I used a fork to break them into smaller pieces.

Assemble the slices of grilled salmon onto your pre- prepared couscous and there you have a fantastic, complete and wholesome meal.

That night I paired it with home-made Sangria.

Simply add lemon and orange wedges into water melon juice and keep it in the fridge.When serving, add ice, vodka and the juice.

Home Made Burgers for Dinner

Sometimes kids get so fussy with food and they become your biggest critic. I finally decided to make burgers, and yes home made burger patties. So the below was my end product.

Let me tell you, they were better than any burger I had ever tasted, perfectly juicy inside and grilled just nice outside. First, start by getting good quality ground lamb. You can use any type of meat of your choice, chicken or pork. Marinate the meat with a fair bit of tumeric, paprika and cumin powder. Add salt and pepper for seasoning. Mix them well and make them into patties. The trick to work your way through and season the meat thoroughly.

I wrap the patties in foils and refridgerated them for later use. This process also enhances the flavour and holds them into the shape better. I never measure my ingredients so I apologize for  not being able to provide precise measurement. I go with the smell, and touch. Remember not to overwork the patties.

Use a grill pan to grill your burger to get that beautiful charred mark. I used butter because it was for my son and he could afford that little bit of fat on him. Toast your buns to get the best out of it. Lastly assemble your burger as per your choice.

Mine was a simple assembly of a slice of tomato, freshly grilled lamb patty, cheese, lettuce in between toasted buns. The king was the flavourful lamb patties marinated with my favourite spices, grilled to perfection! Yummm....

Pita Pockets...

Sometimes you get so bored, and you just don't know what to prepare for dinner..and then you see something and an idea just ops up. That is what happen to me, when I saw this packet of pita. So, I Thought why not have pita pockets.

The ingredients as above, chopped tomatoes, avacados, mangoes, chillies and onions. A little bit of lettuce and any cheese that you can find... I used blue cheese. I also pan fried some chicken pieces for my son and husband, because they NEED THEIR MEAT.

Now just assemble and put them in the oven to heat it up.

 

This was my pita, the vegetarian one with cheese just melting on the top...simply irresistible.

This is the non vege version, added with chicken. Pita stuffed pocket is a healthy meal (made this with wholemeal pita) and you can be as adventurous as you like with this.

Glazed Salmon with Wild Rice and Roket salad

It has been long time since I blogged and since I experimented. So, I found this nice block of salmon, and I thought I better make good use of it. Ran through the net, and found something interesting and I improvised with whatever I could  find in the fridge.

Ransacked my fridge, and found pomegranate..hmmm...interesting, a pack of rocket. I opened a packet of rocket, and dropped some cherry tomatoes, and dressed it with balsamic vinegar and topped it up with pomegranate. Voila...a salad. The pomegranate were little rubies in the mix of green salad, not only pleasing for the eyes but gives a tangy taste and wonderful texture, making a boring salad bursting with flavour. I even got my son to eat the greens.

Next I put the wild rice to boil. The comes the salmon.... Pour some soya sauce (light) and mix in brown sugar to make a glazed. Season the salmon with black pepper, and then marinate it with the soya sauce and brown sugar mix. Be generous. Lastly, sprinkle sesame seeds and roast it in the oven as normal.

Once cooked, assemble your plate with the salad, mix the wild rice with the oil from the cooked salmon and plate them all...Oh yes, and of course, place a glass of white wine, right by its side...Classic....