Double Park @ SS2

 
I have to admit that when before I stepped into this F&B café, I didn't have much expectation of this place. Afterall, the deco suggests that it's more of a music café and pub rather than a decent dining place. How wrong was I! The food is so great that I went back a second time within a short span of time. Even my family members give this place a thumb's up after trying the food here. So I decided to combine the food I have tried over the 2 visits into this one blog.

 
Double Park is actually situated along the same row as SS2 police station and it's at the row of shophouses behind the durian stalls. It's not hard to find with its black signboard with the words "Double Park". The theme of this place as I mentioned before is a musical café at night with nice setting and makes it a good place to chill out be it day or night. I have not been to this place in the evening though. Both my visits were in the midday.

 
It has both Asian and Western cuisines to cater for different taste buds. We tried about 8-10 items in its menu and the spread of the variety of foods is not bad! The Chicken Ham and Cheese Bun is a simple sandwich but I wonder it's called bun though. The presentation of the sandwich ( yes, I will call it sandwich instead of bun ) makes it rather appetizing with cherry tomato and slices of cucumber topped with mayonnaise. Like what I said earlier, it's nothing to shout about and a bit on the high side in terms of the price of RM7.90.

Chicken Ham & Cheese Bun – RM7.90

 
The Club Sandwich looks more mouth-watering as you can see below. Again, it has slices of ham and fried egg sandwiched between the bread. This taste much better than the former and I like this better even for RM1 more at RM8.90.

 Club Sandwich – RM8.90

 
For the main course, I ordered the Double Park Mix Chop. You get to choose different type of gravy. I wanted the mushroom sauce but it was not available on that moment. I opted for the red gravy ( I think?! ). The Mix Chop comes sizzling on a hot plate. The first impression of this meal it that the portion is too much for me. It comes with a slice of grilled chicken, a lamb chop and a fish fillet. The sides are the cherry tomato, broccoli and corn. There's definitely lots of meat on this plate and the gravy turns out to be very tasty. It's a bit salty but it complimented well with the meat. I am a person who is very particular over my broccoli but I find the broccoli here cooked just right for my liking. For meat lovers out there, you should try this dish. You will not be disappointed at RM18.50!

 

Double Park Mix Chop – RM18.50

 
My Mum ordered the Signature Spare Ribs which is priced at RM12.90. We could not make out what the gravy is made of but it definitely goes well with rice. Double Park is generous with the gravy too. This Signature Spare Ribs certainly earned its reward that we ordered the same dish the second time we came back here. The ribs are cooked just nice and not too tough or chewy, just right! It comes with cucumber, lettuce and onion.

Signature Spare Ribs – RM12.90

The other time I was here, I tried out the Salted Butter Pork with Rice. You get to choose whether you want it to be pork, chicken or fish to go with the Salted Butter. Double Park did not disappoint me with my choice. Again, the gravy earned my thumbs up! It's very tasty. The salted butter pork comes with a mix of curry leaves, lettuce and a little bit of chopped bird's eye chilli to add a little oomph! to the gravy. There is a generous amount of gravy to go with your rice. For RM13.90, this is another dish that I highly recommend to you foodies out there.

 

Salted Butter Pork – RM13.90

The Double Park Platter was ordered as an entrée for everyone. The platter comes with a mixture of fried food – French fries, fried wanton, potato wedges and fried popiah. I find the fries a bit powdery as it contains more flour than potatoes. The wanton is a bit disappointing but the popiah tasted better. I would not recommend this for an entrée. Perhaps, should give others in the menu a try.

Double Park Platter – RM14.50

The Fried Taiwan Sausage is a better option. The dish comes with 2 sausages wrapped in a strip of bacon each. This dish did not let me down. It definitely tasted better than the platter above. I enjoyed the juicy sausages and the bacon complimented well to bring out the salty taste in both the sausages and the bacon. The crispy taste of the bacons certainly make this a delight to the mouth.

Fried Taiwan Sausage – RM8.90

The ambience and the setting of this place certainly makes it a good place to go for good food be it for a family outing or an evening winding down with your pals. Go ahead, give Double Park a try!

Independence Monument – Phnom Penh

This is something I found online about the Independence Monument of Phnom Penh. The above picture is by far my favourite picture I have taken from my Phnom Penh trip. It’s captured using my Samsung Galaxy S4.

Independence Monument

The Independence Monument was inaugurated in November 9, 1962, celebrating Cambodia’s independence from foreign rule. Renowned Cambodian architect Vann Molyvann was the architect of the monument which is patterned on a lotus flower bud, adorned with Naga heads (multi-headed cobras) and obviously reminiscent in design of the towers of Angkor Wat. The Independence Monument now also serves as a monument to Cambodia’s war dead as well as her independence. The Independence Monument sit in the centre of the traffic circle at the intersection of Norodom Blvd. and Sihanouk Blvd. and is the site of colourful celebrations and services on political holidays such as Independence Day ( January 7 ) and Constitution Day ( September 24 ).

 

It’s best to visit the monument at night to absorb in all the wonderful colours from the spotlights that makes this monument a sight to behold.

A Walk To Remember

This post is extracted from “The Star – 3rd December 2013” as a tribute to Paul William Walker, 1973-2013

 

Actor Paul Walker’s death in a fiery car crash under a clear-blue California sky Saturday continues to feel so incredibly sad and so surreal.

How can it not?

The actor, 40, spent much of his life on-screen behind the wheel of fast cars, walking away from the worst possible pileups in the The Fast And The Furious franchise. He was one of the central players in the hugely popular series and a part of the cast from its 2001 beginnings, when it created a world where there was no curve its drivers couldn’t navigate, no wreck they couldn’t survive. Cars stood for high-octane escape, freedom at 200 mph.

No one was prepared for a day like Saturday. That Walker’s final moments would carry such heart-breaking irony; that the sort of images that defined his life in film would also frame his death.

Though the The Fast And The Furious anchor is Vin Diesel playing Dominic Toretto, a local Los Angeles tough with a heart of gold, a few of the core cast members became minor constellations in their own right. Walker, as the undercover cop who became Dom’s best friend and his most reliable partner in crime, was one.

Part of the films’ appeal was its blue-collar ethos and its love of all things American, except for a law here or there. The pull was powerful enough that even Walker’s cop Brian O’Conner couldn’t resist. Dom’s crew of gear-heads, grease monkeys, guys willing to get their hands dirty when duty called, soon won him over.

Walker’s character was our entry point to this very real underground scene. The actor helped us see the merit in these renegades, to be seduced by the adrenaline rush of the race. There was also Brian’s sweet relationship with Dom’s sister Mia, played by Jordana Brewter. Together, the actors embodied a classic working-class couple, their courtship remarkably innocent in an outlaw world.

That was Walker’s strength in front of the camera. The actor was ever the rock-sold guy.

He certainly looked the part with that strong jaw, slight scruff, clear blue eyes, golden smile. It is no surprise the actor landed on People magazine’s most beautiful list. Walker could ooze sex appeal. But far more often, what you saw on-screen was an inherent decency.

From all accounts, that was an accurate description of the man, someone who held friends and family close, who had enough fame and fortune to abuse it, but never did. The heartfelt outpouring of love and regret from fans and friends alike in the wake of his death speaks eloquently to that.

Walker was born in Glendale, California in the United States and he never moved far from home. A California boy, he liked to surf and to drive fast cars. The car Valley on Saturday.

That he would become an actor was almost a given. He began spending time in front of the camera as a toddler, diaper-clad in a Pampers ad for his first performance. At 13, he made his big screen debut in 1986’s Monster in the Closet. The B-movie would in a sense set the course for his career.

The TV and film roles that followed were mostly modest ones, drawing more fans than critical attention. In some of the better movies, Walker took secondary parts, overshadowed by bigger stars of his generation such as Tobey Maguire in 1998’s Pleasantville and James Van Der Beek in 1999’s Varsity Blues.

Until The Fast And The Furious – a box-office juggernaut with international appeal – changed his life forever. He was a specialist in the mainstream, in a league with countless actors who show up year after year, give us their best and don’t ask for much in return. Including awards on the shelf. Just to act is almost reward enough.

The franchise has never claimed to be high art, but it is always solidly entertaining. Its brash bravado is tempered by the fact that these bad boys are really good guys. No. 6 in the series, which came out in May, outdid all the rest.

In more recent times, the actor had been taking on other types of roles. In one of his last projects, Hours, which is due for release in a couple of weeks, he plays a father desperate to keep his baby daughter safe in the face of Hurricane Katrina.

There is no official word yet on the fate of Fast & Furious 7, which is still in production. I would be surprised if they didn’t find a way to turn the film, at least in part, into a final tribute: to Walker and the memory of a good man, a good father, a good friend and a good actor – in that order – who sadly died too young.

 

 

Laugh Out Loud

Today’s Sunday and to beat tomorrow’s Monday’s blues, here’s a few jokes I extracted from “The Star” newspaper to share with everyone:

A Matter of Trust

A police officer is being cross-examined by a defence attorney during a felony trial. The lawyer is trying to undermine the police officer’s credibility.

Lawyer: “Officer, did you see my client fleeing the scene?”

Cop: “No, sir. But I subsequently observed a person matching the description of the offender, running several blocks away.”

Lawyer: “Who provided this description?”

Cop: “The officer who responded to the scene.”

Lawyer: “A fellow officer provided the description of this so-called offender. Do you trust your fellow officers?”

Cop: “Yes, sir. With my life.”

Lawyer: “With your life? Let me ask you this then, officer. Do you have a room where you change your clothes in preparation for your daily duties?”

Cop: “Yes, sir, we do.”

Lawyer: “And do you have a lock on your locker?”

Cop: “Yes, sir.”

Lawyer: “Now, why is it, officer, if you trust your fellow officers with your life, you find it necessary to lock your locker in a room you share with these same officers?”

Cop: “You see, sir, we share the buildinng with the court complex, and sometimes lawyers have been known to walk through that room.”

The courtroom exploded with laughter, and a recess was called.

 

Downsized

Interviewer: “To whom you owe your success as a millionaire?”

Millionaire: “I owe everything to my wife.”

Interviewer: “Wow, she must be some woman. What were you before you married her?”

Millionaire: “A billionaire.”

 

Brother and sisters

One day, a young man tells his father that he is ready to marry and settle down.

His father is happy for him. He asks his son who the girl is, and he tells him that she is the girl next door.

With a sad face the old man tells his son: “I’m sorry son, but I have to tell you the truth. The girl you want to marry is your sister. Please don’t tell your mother.”

The young man shrugs and says he has other girlfriends and names them. But the father tells him the same thing, that they are all his sisters because of his past indiscretions.

The son is upset and decides to tell his mother. “Mom, I want to get married but all the girls that I propose, Dad says that they are my sisters and I mustn’t tell you.”

His mother smiles at him and says: “Don’t worry my son, you can marry any of those girls. You’re not his son.”

 

Pricey meal

A cannibal is strolling in the jungle and comes upon a restaurant operated by a fellow cannibal.

Feeling somewhat hungry, he sits down and looks at the menu:

Raw Tourist: $5

Broiled Missionary: $10

Fried Explorer: $15

Grilled Politician: $100

The cannibal asks the owner: “Why so expensive for a politician?”

The owner replies: “Have you ever tried to clean one? They are so full of shit, it takes all morning!”

King Grand Boutique Hotel

During my recent trip to Phnom Penh, I chose to stay at King Grand Boutique Hotel (KGB). I made the booking months earlier via Booking.com and managed to get myself quite a good bargain. Since we have booked earlier at a discounted website, we do not have to pay for the room and cancellation is FOC up to 3 days before checking in. As there are 5 of us including 1 child, we booked 2 Superior rooms for 3 nights which came up to USD336.00 altogether. That comes up to USD56 per room a night including tax. It comes with breakfast as well.

We arranged for airport pickup prior to our arrival date and was quoted USD20 for a van which can sit 7 adults. Since we arrived at Phnom Penh International Airport around late afternoon, traffic was a bit heavy. It took us about 45 minutes to reach the hotel from the airport while usually it takes about 30 minutes or less. KGB is located at Street 258. The hotel is not facing the main road but it is strategically located. In fact, I strongly recommend tourists to stay at KGB as there are a few tourists sites near the hotel.

Upon checking in to KGB, we were greeted by very polite and courteous staff. Their smiles almost immediately put away the tiredness that they guests may have. We were given a welcome drink while the receptionist does the check in process. To our surprise, I was informed that one of my Superior room has been upgraded to Deluxe Triple Room since I have a 5 years old daughter travelling with us! That totally won me over. KGB is really a guest-oriented hotel. I am not sure about the occupancy rate of the hotel since its website states that KGB has 40 stylish, well equipped bedrooms and two swimming pools. While waiting at the lobby, I switched on my phone’s wifi and managed to get a very strong signal strength from the hotel.

When we brought to our room’s entrance, I noticed the room door security system a bit more advanced that other hotels that I have been to. You need to scan your palm first before a 2 digit pin is being reviewed and then only you swipe your door access card. Stepping into the room, I find the room pretty clean with no hint of any odour. We had a queen size bed and from the balcony, we can see the Royal Palace. 

The Superior Room and the Balcony  

The Bathroom and the Wardrobe  

The bathroom is also very spacious and have a hair dryer for the convenience of the guests. The LCD TV has got around 20 channels for the guests to watch. A set of bathrobes and a mini safe is also available for the guests to use.

 

 

The above is the collection of photos from the pool side. The coffeehouse is divided into indoor and outdoor section. Sitting besides the pool is so relaxing and you will definitely enjoy your breakfast even more. Besides the standard serving of Asian breakfast as well as cereals, you can also order bacon, eggs and pancakes. The ever polite waiters and waitresses are more than happy to bring them to your table. Service is top-notch here.

There is a pool on the ground floor as well as a jacuzzi pool on the 7th floor which is also the rooftop. The rooftop provides you a magnificent, panoramic view of Phnom Penh city and not to mention the Royal Palace is just a stone throw away from KGB.

If you need to travel around, have no fear. There are many tuk-tuk waiting outside the hotel for tourists. You can bargain for you destination.

If you like what you read, below’s the address for King Grand Boutique. You can visit its website or make your reservations via Booking.com

Address: #No 18, Street 258, Sangkat Chat Tomuk, Khan Daun Penh, Phnom Penh, Cambodia

Phone: +855 23 215 848 / +855 23 215 849   Fax: +855 23 215 846   

Email: info@kinggrandboutiquehotel.com

Phnom Penh’s Central Market ( Phsar Thmei )

Just came back from a recent holidays to Phnom Penh. For the next few posts, I will blog about the various places I have visited during my 4 days’ stay at Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Cambodia is famous for its Buddhist temples as well as its long history of cruel regime under Pol Pot where many Cambodias were tortured to death. As such, today, Cambodia has a Killing Field and Genocide Museum to “tell” the stories of its gruesome past.

Fast forward to present, shopaholics who would like to get hold of some souvenirs from Cambodia can do so at the Central Market. The market sells a wide variety of items including handicrafts, silks, t-shirts, postcards. According to a source I found from the Internet, prior to 1935, the market area was a swamp/lake known as Beng Decho that received the runoff during the rainy season. The lake was drained and the market constructed in 1935-37, during the French colonial period, and originally dubbed the “Grand Market”. As I have a colleague who likes to collect stamps, I am disappointed that I can’t find any stalls in the market selling souvenir stamps. There are a few stalls which sell locally printed tourist guide books ie Lonely Planet etc. I bet that you will be approached by a few mobile vendors who will try to sell you lottery tickets, bookmarks, travel guides.

One of the 4 entrances to Central Market 

Along the entrances to Central Market, you will find mostly stalls selling clothings & clothing accessorries, fridge magnets and fresh flowers. At the centre of the Central Market, you will find items mostly like watches (read fake designer brands), fashion jewelleries, handphone mobile accessories. Do note that Central Market sells a combination of wet & dry goods. There is a section of the market which sells poultry meat and vegetables. Hawker food is also available in the market.

The items being sold in the market are mainly quoted in USD and price haggling and deep bargaining is a must. Please, please bargain for 50% of the price being offered by the seller. Do bear in mind that Central Market is popular for tourists. Therefore, prices of items here are mostly marked-up.

The dome inside Central Market 

Central Market is opened from early morning around 7am to late afternoon. Tuk tuk (motorcycle taxi) are freely available outside the Central Market. Happy shopping!!

Sin Hup Kee Restaurant – Bandar Puteri Puchong

Last Sunday, our lunch took us to Bandar Puteri, Puchong where we tried out a Chinese restaurant – Sin Hup Kee (SHK). It occupies a single shop lot in Bandar Puteri Puchong and has about 10-15 tables (both round table and square tables).

SHK – from the outside 

 Bandar Puteri Puchong has grown into quite a “makan” place with many restaurants at this area. This commercial hubs also house a few local and international banks as well and you have a hypermarket at this area too. It’s really a busy commercial area during work days.

SHK’s menu

One complain I have about this restaurant is the quality of their menu. Don’t get me wrong! They have a good spread of dishes but the menu book itself is quite worn out. I think it will give customers a better impression if they take pride in their menu instead of presenting worn out copy to customers. 

SHK – from the inside

I like the wall of Sin Hup Kee as it’s decorated with big photos of their dishes. It gives the diners an idea of what to expect and whet up the appetite before the actual dishes arrive. We reached there about 12:30pm and it was quite packed with lunch crowd on a Sunday where families usually eat out on weekends. Despite being full house, we didn’t have to wait too long for our dishes to arrive. 20 minutes is an acceptable time frame, considering the crowd. We ordered a few dishes which I am going to share below:-

Deep Fried Salted Egg Squid (Small - RM18)

Deep fried food with salted egg is always a favourite within our family. The little kiddo loves the savoury taste of salted egg in the food as it enhances the batter. Squid itself is rather bland in taste, with rubbery texture. So, it’s usually cooked with curry or deep fried based on Oriental cooking style. Since we ordered a small portion, the size of it came as expected. Simple dish garnished with lettuce and curry leaves. SHK gave a generous amount of salted egg and hence, you can really taste the salted egg in the deep fried batter. Also, it comes with a hint of pepper to enhance the taste.

Deep Fried Salted Egg Squid

Marmite Sauce Chicken (Regular - RM16) 

Since my daughter also loves marmite, marmite chicken is a regular order whenever we dine out and the restaurant happens to have a dish with marmite sauce. SHK uses chicken breast meat to cook with the marmite sauce. I am not a fan of chicken breast meat as this part of the chicken is too dense with meat. I prefer other parts like thigh or drumstick. As a result, I feel that the marmite sauce didn’t really get sipped into the breast meat. The sauce only managed to coat the surface of the meat but not sipped into it.

 Marmite Sauce Chicken

 Deep Fried Fish Tail (700gm - RM49)

Initially, we did not order this dish but the fish slices with mango sauce. The dish was not available on that day and the waitress recommended this dish to us. We obliged and it turned out quite tasty. The fish tail is deep fried and very crispy. You can tell that it’s fried on the spot and then the sweet and sour sauce poured onto it immediately right before being served to the table. I would much prefer more garnishing ie more slices of tomatoes and onions to accompany the generous portion of sauce that comes with the fish. Overall, this dish is worth a go.

Deep Fried Fish Tail 

Stir Fried Long Beans (Regular - RM12)

We also ordered the stir fried long beans with minced meat as we need to balance meat intake with veggies right?? For a regular plate of the dish, I think the portion given is quite generous. The taste of this dish is nothing to shout about, a regular dish that you can find in most Chinese restaurants. However, I do find the long beans a bit overcooked. It should have been crunchier but I find it a bit on the soft side for my liking.

 Stir Fried Long Beans

Deep Fried Salted Egg Mantis (Small - RM18)

Here’s another dish that is cooked with salted egg :-) Mantis prawns. Another of our family’s favourite seafood. Again, the popular style of cooking the mantis prawns favoured by us is to deep fried it with salted egg. Similar to the squid, the batter came with a generous portion of salted egg. This makes the mantis prawns well-coated with the batter mixed with salted eggs. Another thumbs up for the dish.

 Deep Fried Salted Egg Mantis

Fiery Pork Ribs (Small - RM12)

This dish is chosen by my Mum as it was one of the items featured on the wall of SHK. Since none of the dishes above has got pork, we decided to order this dish as well. Let’s see how one of their signature dishes fair. Well, it actually tasted quite good. It taste like sweet & sour pork ribs with a hint of vinegar in it to bring out the sour taste. The ribs are cooked just right with the sauce managed to seep into the pork ribs. The right temperature of the wok is important in bringing out the finer taste of the food and with this pork ribs, I have to say it deserve to be one of their signature dishes.

Fiery Pork Ribs 

 Steamed Eggs with Century & Salted Eggs (Small - RM10)

This dish is ordered to balance out the rest of what we have ordered so far. We are missing some protein based dish :-)

Besides, my daughter loves to eat eggs too. So, this is also another dish ordered for her. With century and salted eggs cut into small pieces and added into the steam eggs, you do not need additional flavouring. The combination of these 3 types of eggs itself is enough to make it a tasty, protein-based dish. I would suggest to top it up with some fried scallions and spring onions would be a good garnishing. 

 Steamed Eggs with Century & Salted Eggs

Yin Yang Kailan (Regular - RM12)

Our last dish ordered is another vegetable. This dish is gaining popularity amongst Chinese restaurants. The catch is frying the green leaves of the kailan. If the chef is not careful, he may over-timed the frying and as a result, you will end up with a bitter taste a.k.a burnt taste of the leaves. Luckily, I didn’t experience the burnt taste with this dish. The chef managed to deep fry the shredded leaves without overcooking them. The stalks part of the kailan are also blanched just right, not too hard for my liking. Again, I think this dish is a thumbs-up for me.

Yin Yang Kailan

As a whole, it was a fine dining experience at SHK. Service was within the expected time frame despite it being a full house on a Sunday afternoon when I visited the restaurant. As mentioned before, my only complain is that the menu book should be re-print as it looked worn out. Not a very pleasing sight for customers.

 

Address:

Sin Hup Kee

No. 64, Jalan Puteri 2/4,

Bandar Puteri,

47100 Puchong, Selangor.