2019 is closing in. It has been an interesting year, one I should really note down in my blog for fond memories' sake but I've been so caught up with life off the computer that ... well, time just flew. Anyway, better late than never I believe. Here goes a story that should have been told months ago.
September. Malaysia Day was another long weekend for us. My girlfriend, Jen, stayed over. We shopped for Christmas presents, caught up with stories of our lives, explored new places and attended a RIUH event.
RIUH is a monthly platform where creative people, local artisans and artistes are brought together in a set up of pop-up stores, workshops and live performances. The atmosphere is vibrant, like the word riuh which in English means to be alive with noise.
For Malaysia Day, RIUH worked with Grab to host the event. YTL, a prominent property developer in KL, generously sponsored the location, opening the long abandoned Sentul Railway Depot to the public. And what a beautiful place it was. This 110-year-old train depot was what drew me to RIUH. It used to be a workshop and an area that stored railcars, steam and diesel locomotives, so I gather from Wikipedia.
Sentul Depot
These buildings are like giant pieces of treasure from the past. Imagine how cool it would be if much of this structure is preserved. YTL has plans to upgrade the place and I'm hoping for something 'natural'. My heart flutters at the thought of long kopi sessions with friends under a big shady tree.
Much of Kuala Lumpur's old buildings have lost their charm through modernisation - think soulless grey office towers or pricey condos that's half filled with stuck-up tenants and rules that make you laugh because you realise a ton of money was paid to live in a fancy jail cell. I'm just saying that if I had that much money, I would choose an environment of good neighbourliness where joy and our innovative side can flourish, and living creatures are welcome.
An Old Abandoned Building At Sentul Depot
So the three (me, hubs and Jen) of us made our way to RIUH early Sunday morning lured by the ooh-aah magic of Sentul Depot. We were enamoured the moment we walked into a bright and airy atmosphere.
Sentul Depot
Sentul Depot
Sentul Depot
The organisers had done a great job bringing this place alive. Check out my first stop. Bas Tak Sekolah? This is a school bus turned mobile book store, selling a range of local titles that says, "Think deeply, Malaysians."
Bas Tak Sekolah
Good Books Available In Bas Tak Sekolah
I was hungry and thirsty by the time we'd done our exploring and snapping photos. Some of the sellers were still setting up their stalls at 10am. We saw this amazing burnt cheesecake from Cakies and knew we had to try. The lady in charge tempted us with fluffy doughnuts of which three flavours ended up in our hands. Finding a table to sit down and eat was easy. Gosh, it was heavenly tucking in to our baked goodies with live music for entertainment.
Cakies Burnt Cheesecake
RIUH at Sentul Depot
It's been a long time since a local live performance made me go wow - Tiga Soul rocked the stage. See the short clip I shot below. The energy was high and mesmerising. I'm stalking their instagram right now because I'd pay to go for their concert. Really!
There was a short queue at the coffee truck but service was so slow (they didn't have their kopi yet bah) that we had to try another stall. Unfortunately, payment by cash wasn't allowed in this section of the event space. We had to use GrabPay, a credit system on the Grab app. Seeing our predicament, a very nice lady offered to help us. She used her account to help us pay and we gave her the cash. God bless her.
Here is a look at the stalls in RIUH. There were many nice items for sale.
Stalls at RIUH
The Rojak Project is an interesting food art piece with an important message about embracing our differences. As a multicultural nation, don't be colour blind, be colour-embracing citizens.
The Rojak Project
There is much to explore at RIUH and I cannot possibly include everything in one blog piece but I hope I have interest you enough to attend the event should you hear about it. I end this post with couple of shots of the surrounding area of Sentul Depot.
Greyhound Cafe is a modern Thai fusion eatery which originates from Bangkok. It has two branches in Kuala Lumpur.
A lucky draw blessing on Instagram gave me an opportunity to try out Greyhound Cafe, Mid Valley a couple of months ago. I've been here several times since with friends and family - the ambiance is that pleasant, the crepes are that good and the rest of the food we tried? Yum!
Greyhound Cafe, Mid Valley Megamall
I mention crepes specifically because it was the highlight of our meal. A tasty treat that was memorable and made me crave for more but I was already feeling stuffed from devouring a huge burger and fries.
You know the saying, 'Life is short, eat dessert first!' which we didn't do but my first pic is going to be that - Greyhound's Coconut Crepe Cake layered with fresh young coconut meat. The flavour, a beautiful harmony of pleasantness, nothing that screams 'lotsa cheap sugar in here'.
Young Coconut Crepe Cake
These were the dishes Hubs and I had in an outing which included my cousin, her other half and child.
Don't order the Super Elvis Burger unless you're really hungry, got the tummy space for it or intend to share. It's good plain ol' meaty stuff grilled to deliciousness.
Super Elvis Burger
Super Elvis Burger
Oh-so-yum Thai Tom Yum Noodles. Now this was bursting with flavour. I was dipping my burger bun into the soup.
Tom Yum Noodles
My cousin ordered Spaghetti with Crab Meat which had a sprinkling of shrimp roe on top.
Crab Meat Pasta
The Buffalo Burger is served with squid ink black buns. Also a heavy meal with home fries!
Buffalo Burger
My little nephew had a Caesar Salad. Anyone remember the 'scissors salad' blunder which left us Malaysians in stitches? I'm still laughing about it! Here's the link to the story if you don't know what I'm talking about.
Caesar Salad
Lastly, our drinks.
Drinks
As we patted our stomach from the fullness of a good meal, I couldn't help but feel the warmth that surrounded Greyhound Cafe's team. The staff was attentive and easy-going. They were extremely kind to us and I could not help but thank the supervisor personally for the amazing memories that were made that day.
Beautiful Table Setting - Greyhound Cafe
Neat! - Greyhound Cafe, Mid Valley Megamall
Awesome Ambiance - Greyhound Cafe, Mid Valley Megamall
Check out the decor. Great place to chill, right? ;)
Greyhound Cafe
Address: G floor, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley Megamall, 58000 Kuala Lumpur,
Telehone: +6 03 - 2201 2226
Website: www.greyhoundcafe.com.my
I still enjoy coming to this part of Kuala Lumpur, if only to walk down memory lane and bring the occasional tourist. Life is a balance of good and bad. If I stick to visiting only the places we have labeled 'safe' and 'rich', then it means that I am choosing to turn a blind eye to our heritage, to shun a part of our country and its issues. Well, that's what I believe anyway. The world isn't all sunshine and rainbows. There are rainstorms we must weather and Kuala Lumpur's imperfections are just that for me.
Petaling Street didn't earn its less than stellar reputation for nothing . The shops and night markets are a haven for imitation goods. This was the place I had seen a beggar put his crutches aside, then walk away with his day's collection. This is the place everyone tells you to watch out for pickpockets.
Petaling Street, A Part of KL's Chinatown
Anyway, one of the most famous wonton noodles around can be found here - Koon Kee Wan Tan Mee. A true blue KLite introduced it to me. I've been back here several times with family members who visit. Just plain ol' wan tan mee like how it used to be in the old days.
Koon Kee Wan Tan Mee, Petaling Street
Outside this noodle shop is a happening Apam Balik (Sweet Peanut Pancake) stall manned by a sprightly old man. I savoured every bite, a taste of years of expertise. His pancakes are so popular that it is sold as soon as it is off the pan and cut.
Apam Balik, Petaling Street
Apam Balik
Air Mata Kucing (Dried Longan Drink) anyone? A thirst quencher. No food journey in Petaling Street is complete without a cup of this. Our humid weather demands it.
Air Mata Kucing, Petaling Street
Food is not all you'll find interesting here. In between a row of shops, a friend and I came across this lovely piece by established street artists LeDania from Colombia and our very own Cloakwork. 'Lucy In The Sky' - look for this cafe and you should find it. I don't know how long it'll be there before it gets painted over though.
LeDania and Cloak
I remember the cafe - a cosy place. My aunt and I breakfasted here once long ago. We were in the area to buy cookware at the shop a door away. Such fond memories. When my aunt first saw the shop, her eyes shone in excitement, "I wantttt, I want those pots, pans and plates!" it said.
Lucy In The Sky Cafe
Lucy In The Sky Cafe
Around the bend is a newly opened bargain store opposite Pasar Seni LRT. Gilasco is sort of a gift shop similar to the likes of Yubiso and Miniso.
Gilasco
My walkabout around this part of the city has been interesting but I hope to be back again soon and perhaps this time, I will take a closer look at Central Market. The place seems to have come up nicely. I wonder if the second-hand book shop I used to frequent during my college days is still around.
Just a couple more pictures and that's that for this post.
Imagine our ooh and aah at seeing this. It was a huge balloon dragon installation hanging as a centrepiece at the atrium of IPC Shopping Centre. Majestic and inspiring. I did not get the name of the balloon sculptor but he or she is certainly inspiring. The 50ft long dragon however, that I have its name - Yang! How fun to be involved in such a project and I bet they love their jobs.
Mid-Autumn Festival Balloon Installation at IPC Shopping Centre 50ft Dragon
We spotted this person in a balloon rabbit costume cutely bobbing along the row of shops. The rabbit has a name too - Moon!
Moon Rabbit and The Dragon .. RoarrrRRr!
Further in the background, behind Yang the dragon is a small garden made of balloons - it was a landscape of trees, birds, a bridge and a beautiful phoenix named Yin. Yin and Yang *wink*
Mid-Autumn Festival Balloon Installation at IPC Yin at 9ft Tall
Mid-Autumn Festival Balloon Installation Garden of Harmony
Mid-Autumn Festival Balloon Installation Garden of Harmony
This was our adventure last Sunday in celebration of the Mid-Autumn Festival
but the installation stays up until 30th Sep, which is this weekend. So
there's still a chance for anyone keen to pop in for a look-see.
Hej means hello in Swedish. We passed this sign at the end of the bridge above Ikea Cafe. I couldn't resist a photo because it was such a cheerful piece in yellow.
Hello, IKEA Fans
Mooncake Day was a little quiet for us this year since we'd already
caught up with our friends and family earlier. Also, greedy us had eaten
all the mooncakes up leaving none for the actual day! They
were just too delicious to resist.
I leave you with a photo of the moon I snapped in the early hours of yesterday morning.
Thanks to our elders, we are close to our cousins. They make our family life interesting. We have the numbers for rounders, badminton, police and thief and so much fun. There were ups and downs but also much love between us. Relationships in the old days are just that - colourful and solid.
Cousins are those childhood playmates
who grow up to be forever friends. ~ Anon
We celebrated my cousin's Birthday last weekend at Awa Mee Bar, a lovely noodle restaurant at Mid Valley Megamall. It's always an exciting affair researching for new places to eat - so many choices, so little tummy space.
Spicy Seafood Dry Noodle (Awa Mee Bar, Mid Valley)
The ambiance was pleasant, bright and clean. We were already feeling the effects of joyfulness as we sat down.
Awa Mee Bar, Mid Valley
Awa Mee Bar, Mid Valley
The food presentation, though easy enough, is genius - this
establishment serves noodles with a piece of fried mushroom that looks
like undersea coral. The soup that came with was divine.
This was what we ordered. Tonkotsu Dry Noodles that came with a big bowl of soup for me and hubs. Do you know what tonkotsu means? I googled - Japanese broth made from pork marrow. Yum!
Non-Spicy Tonkotsu Dry Noodle (Awa Mee Bar, Mid Valley)
Tonkotsu Dry Noodle Soup (Awa Mee Bar, Mid Valley)
This is the soup that came with Spicy Seafood Dry Noodle (see the first picture of this post if you want a look at the noodles).
Spicy Seafood Dry Noodle Soup (Awa Mee Bar, Mid Valley)
These are the noodle soup versions, which my cousin and my friend ordered - Tonkotso Noodle Soup.
Top-Left Clockwise : Cutlery Kept In A Hidden Drawer at the Side of the Table,
Chilli Dip for Noodles, Tonkotso Noodle Soup,
One White Rice Noodle and One Yellow Noodle.
Hotpig Claypot - Yes, you read right. There are a couple of funny named dishes on their menu.The meat was tender and flavourful in this one. So good to eat that I feel a craving slowly coming on right now. Greedy me.
Hotpig Claypot (Awa Mee Bar, Mid Valley)
There is a 'handsome' dish on the menu. Lol.
Handsome-leh (Awa Mee Bar, Mid Valley)
It was nice to
dine here as we were treated really well by the staff. Also nothing beats good company, and the people I'm with is definitely that!
Price-wise, it was reasonable. We spent about RM20 per person - one bowl of noodles and a glass of drink. Hotpig not included.
Drinks (Awa Mee Bar, Mid Valley)
Sour Plum Tea and Honey Pomelo Tea - RM5.90 each
Awa Mee Bar
Address: Mid Valley Megamall, T-043, Third Floor Mezzanine, Mid Valley City, 58000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Telehone: 03-2280 0772
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