Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Few Feet From Food: Shangrila Hotel














Location on your KK city map: 8P





Note: this is the 3 star Shangrila, located in Kota Kinabalu, not the 5 star Shangrila on Tg. Aru beach.


Food Radar:


North

Lucky you, as opposite of you is the Asia City
area. Walk a little bit across the road and you will find numerous Malay restaurants, usually serving basic fares such as nasi campur and goreng - goreng @ fried stuffs e.g fried rice of all kinds, noodles etc. Within this area also there are 2 famous names in KK, Restoran Sri Sempelang and a branch of Krishna Curry House restaurant, sitting next to each other.




(Refer to your KK map, area P6 - P7)


While Restoran Sri Sempelang offers wide range of
nasi campur @ rice with side dishes, including a huge sotong sumbat @ potato - stuffed squid (price range RM 6 - 10 per squid based on size), next door Krishna serves banana leaf rice and Indian vegetarian fares (price starts at RM 4). I'd recommend their fried fish, fish head curry and massala squid. Finish it off with their Sabah Tea teh tarik, served hot and frothy.






Bonus:

- GSC cinema with their painted posters (old - school, but amusing)
- Wisma Budaya: handicrafts and souvenirs.


As you can see above, Asia City complex is just nearby. Here you can find
- Anjappar Chettinad Restaurant on the ground floor (Indian food)
- lots of Chinese eateries
- Wagamama (Japanese food)

Roam around. If you are interested in Japanese snacks (halal in question), on the ground floor there's a Japanese shop selling Japanese stuffs and snacks imported from Japan.


If you walk further across the road opposite Asia City complex, then you'll reach CenterPoint, a shopping complex.

-Fast food outlets include Burger King (ground floor), McDonald (basement), KFC (basement), Pizza Hut (basement), Kenny Rogers (basement), 1901 (Palm Square, level 4).

-Big names: Secret Recipe (Palm Square, level 4), Coffee Bean (Palm Square, level 4)
-Others: Japanese Dream Food (Palm Square, level 4), Yoyo (level 2), MultiBake (basement), Tuah Baker (Palm Square, level 4), food court (basement; Chinese food, vegetarian food, Malay food e.g. Faezah Super)

-Bonus: Ngiukee superstore (Basement; get your pre – pack Tenom coffee here!), Guardian (Basement), Watson (basement, near food court, behind KFC), Body Shop (ground floor)


Warisan Square (next door, west of CentrePoint)
-Big names: Fish n Co’, Secret Recipe, Starbuck, Coffee Bean, YogurBerry, Veda Blue, Deli France

-Others: some Italian places I’ve yet to try, bakery, McDonald kiosk


Api Api Centre (next, east of CenterPoint. That is, if you can still walk):

-Thai, Indian, mamak, Malay, McDonald (with breakfast)… Lots. Restoran Sri Malindo is much recommended for Malay food.



North - West

If you take a turn to the right along the road near the parking lot, then turn north again, you will find the Evening Food Stall, which cater to the Chinese (non - halal). As the name implies, it starts operating only in the evening around 6.30 pm. Seafood can be found here.


West

I'd advise caution in this area as it's a bit secluded in some parts. Walking in groups with at least 1 male is very much advised.

Anyway, around this area you can find KFC, Scenario cafe and many other Malay and Chinese restaurants.

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Few Feet From Food: Tang Dynasty Hotel



















Note:
in this post, I'm covering on Tang Dynasty Hotel at Wawasan plaza. There are other Tang hotel branches, but please refer to the website below.

Website: http://www.hoteltangdynasty.com/


Food Radar:

North - West

1- Anjung Senja: local / Malay food can be found here. Simple, hawker style outdoor dining facing the sea. Grade A – C stalls, take your pick.


2- Ocean Seafood Restaurant
Serve alcohol / cooking may contain alcohol. Fresh sea creatures swimming in their tanks for you to pick to your heart content. Price starts at RM20.


Further North – West:

1- Waterfront (I'll give an estimate of near 300 m for this):

U
pscale dining. You can find Western / Indian (Kohinoo) / Japanese / Italian (Tuscany) food here. A word of caution, some serve and use alcohol in their cooking.


2- Filipino Market (I'll give an estimate of near 400 m for this)
:

Night time is the best. Hawker style, local fares. Ikan bakar, murtabak Jawa, bakso, nasi campur, the usual fried noodle / rice, chicken wings…

Pre – caution: hygiene.

Bonus: handicraft market next door.


West:

1- Api Api Centre: Thai, Indian, mamak, Malay, McDonald (with breakfast)… Lots. Restoran Sri Malindo is much recommended for Malay food (you’ll have to walk to the other side facing the highway to find it. Somewhere near CIMB).


Far – West:

1- CentrePoint: a shopping centre actually.
Fast food outlets include Burger King (ground floor), McDonald (basement), KFC (basement), Pizza Hut (basement), Kenny Rogers (basement), 1901 (Palm Square, level 4).

Big names: Secret Recipe (Palm Square, level 4), Coffee Bean (Palm Square, level 4)

Others: MultiBake (basement), Tuah Baker (Palm Square, level 4), food court (basement; Chinese food, vegetarian food, Malay food e.g. Faezah Super, Nelta)

Bonus: Ngiukee superstore (Basement; get your pre – pack Tenom coffee here!), Guardian (Basement: pharmacy), Watson (basement; pharmacy; near food court, behind KFC), Body Shop (ground floor)


2- Warisan Square
(next door to CentrePoint)
Big names: Fish n Co’, Secret Recipe, Starbuck, Coffee Bean, YogurBerry, Veda Blue, Deli France

Others: some Italian places I’ve yet to try, bakery, McDonald kiosk


(Far) South - East:

1- Asia City complex: if you are willing to walk slightly further. Across the road, opposite CentrePoint.

Indian food: Anjappar Chettinad Restaurant.

Ground floor: roam around. Many Chinese outlets can be found here including a dim sum shop. Malay food, not much.

Top floor: food court


Next door, attached to lobby

1- Wawasan Plaza: another shopping centre.
KFC (Ground floor)

Bonus:
-Giant, Body Shop. All on ground floor.

- Parkson Grand (1st floor)


Tuesday, September 16, 2008

My Blogroll

These are the lists of my favourite blogs/sites, some for reference, some of my blogger friends, some just of my plain interest. I created this page because it helps to reduce the clutters on my front page. You can also click on the link "My Blogroll" on the sidebar in the future. Have a look whenever you are free.

*The lists re - arrange themselves based on the most recent entry/updates on each respective site / blog. Blogs / sites which are dead / inactive for more than 3 months are removed manually by myself.


All of Malaysia




More on Sabah...




Leisure Hours For Cooking & Food




Miscellaneous




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Blogroll Me!

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Few Feet From Food: Promenade Hotel


















Note:
I’m covering Promenade hotel and its surrounding apartment complexes not including Colonade in this post.

Location:
Kota Kinabalu, facing the sea and surrounded by MANY eateries. Plus Promenade itself offers great buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner so food is not an issue when you stay here.

Website: http://www.promenade.com.my/


Food Radar:
North - East:
1- Anjung Senja: local / Malay food can be found here. Simple, hawker style outdoor dining facing the sea. Grade A – C stalls, take your pick.


North – West:
1- Waterfront: upscale dining. You can find Western / Indian (Kohinoo) / Japanese / Italian (Tuscany) food here. A word of caution, some serve and use alcohol in their cooking.


2- Filipino Market
: night time is the best. Hawker style, local fares. Ikan bakar, murtabak Jawa, bakso, nasi campur, the usual fried noodle / rice, chicken wings…

Pre – caution: hygiene.

Bonus: handicraft market next door.


South – West:
1- CentrePoint: a shopping centre actually.
Fast food outlets include Burger King (ground floor), McDonald (basement), KFC (basement), Pizza Hut (basement), Kenny Rogers (basement), 1901 (Palm Square, level 4).

Big names: Secret Recipe (Palm Square, level 4), Coffee Bean (Palm Square, level 4)

Others: Japanese Dream Food (Palm Square, level 4), Yoyo (level 2), MultiBake (basement), Tuah Baker (Palm Square, level 4), food court (basement; Chinese food, vegetarian food, Malay food e.g. Faezah Super, Nelta)

Bonus: Ngiukee superstore (Basement; get your pre – pack Tenom coffee here!), Guardian (Basement: pharmacy), Watson (basement; pharmacy; near food court, behind KFC), Body Shop (ground floor)


2- Warisan Square
(next door to CentrePoint)
Big names: Fish n Co’, Secret Recipe, Starbuck, Coffee Bean, YogurBerry, Veda Blue, Deli France

Others: some Italian places I’ve yet to try, bakery, McDonald kiosk


3- Asia City complex:
if you are willing to walk slightly further. Across the road, opposite CentrePoint.

Indian food: Anjappar Chettinad Restaurant.

Ground floor: roam around. Many Chinese outlets can be found here including a dim sum shop. Malay food, not much.

Top floor: food court


South:
1- Api Api Centre: Thai, Indian, mamak, Malay, McDonald (with breakfast)… Lots. Restoran Sri Malindo is much recommended for Malay food (you’ll have to walk to the other side facing the highway to find it. Somewhere near CIMB).


East:
1- Wawasan Plaza: another shopping centre.
KFC (Ground floor)

Bonus: Giant, Parkson Grand, Body Shop. All on ground floor.


2- Ocean Seafood Restaurant
Serve alcohol / cooking may contain alcohol. Fresh sea creatures swimming in their tanks for you to pick to your heart content. Price starts at RM20.




Thursday, September 11, 2008

2008 Ramadan Bazaar - Asia City

Another favourite bazaar of mine that I always drop by on my way back from KK to UMS.

4.00 pm is the advised time to drop by if you don’t like crowds. Parking, well, I always parked in Asia City complex itself as I do not possess the luck of finding a good spot and for the fear of “scratch and run”. Plus it’s only RM0.50 (and secure so far) per hour (just how long do people spend shopping in a bazaar? I doubt anyone could exceed 2 hours).

So anyway…

Like I mentioned before, nasi kerabu seems to be the trend now. I like one particular stall manned by a talkative Kelantanese guy. Some may complained that the portion is a tad too small for RM4.00 (mainly guys) but for me it’s just nice enough. So far, we all agreed that the stall has the best nasi kerabu and accompanying side dishes.

I’m not too into kuih so I don’t know much about them. But I did notice that there were many stalls selling them.

What else? Colourful ais kacang, naan / nasi beriani with tandoori chicken, soya bean milk + pandan flavored ones (nice!), kek lapis Sarawak, yong taufu, nasi campur @ rice and side dishes, ayam madu, ayam golek, murtabak jawa, roti John, ikan bakar, satay… the bazaar has lots to offer.

And if you don’t feel like going through the crowd, there is always Restoran Sri Sempelang small bazaar in their parking lot or their restaurant spread of kuih and grilled fish, giant grilled squids etc.

Again, as noted in my previous post on IP bazaar, I think that Asia city’s too is worth a visit. A bonus here is the cheap parking space.