Marble 8

Last night we decided to treat ourselves to a bit of a fancy dinner, so off we went to Marble 8.  Everyone I had spoken to - my parents, my friends, my colleagues - waxed lyrical about the food and the ambiance so I had very high expectations.

The first thing to note about Marble 8 is that it is the sister restaurant to Marini's on 57, so expect swanky, polished and ultimately very modern interiors.  However, Marble 8 differs from Marini's in that there is lots of black furniture, glass, and low lighting, meaning that the atmosphere is a lot moodier.  Another difference is that Marble 8 is situated in a house, whereas Marini's is high up in the Twin Towers.  Don't be fooled by the word 'house' though - a bar, wine room, restaurant and prive are all located inside a very large bungalow.  The overall effect is therefore of a mini complex where you can go for a drink and/or food and/or just to hang out.  Pretty cool!

Yeast Bistronomy

I went to Yeast for dinner on Thursday with two friends I hadn't seen in years.  Having eaten at Yeast on one previous occasion, I had high expectations - I remember the food being pretty darn good.

We decided to skip the starters and head straight for the main courses.  I chose the pan seared chicken breast with onion and lemon marmalade, garlic & herb croquette, mixed fresh vegetables and chicken jus (or, if you want to be fancy, poelee de supreme de volatile et compote d'oignons au citron).

Mad Hatter's Afternoon Tea

A while ago Hannah and I wanted to take a friend out for afternoon tea for a birthday treat (we're totally selfless - honest!). We had a little look on the internet for something a bit different and came across this one at The Sanderson. Set just North of Oxford Street, The Sanderson is an ultra-modern, glitzy hotel, with an amazing long bar which I'll definitely be heading back to - word on the street is the cocktails are to die for.

But I digress - back to afternoon tea. The theme is that of the mad hatter's tea party: diners are invited to 'tumble down the rabbit hole' and be immersed in the utter magic that is Alice in Wonderland. The menus are hidden inside vintage books, the tea sets are specially designed for the theme with kings, queens, animals and clocks painted onto them, and the napkins are held together by little quotations.

Autumnal Fig Salad

This recipe celebrates the warm colours of the autumn which are best embodied in the ripe and juicy autumnal fig. This is one of my favourite fruits to use in salads as the contrast between the crispy green vegetables and its subtle sweetness is much enjoyed even by people who wouldn’t normally mix sweet and savoury. I came up with the recipe last week and it was inspired by the first aromatic figs that appeared in my local market and also by the excitement of cooking a much awaited meal for four in the evening. Hannah came up with the name of the recipe in our first fEasToWest post on Instagram.

Deep-Fried Dough

The title says it all really.  I mean, what is better than deep-fried bread?  Malaysia does fried snacks pretty well, so I'm going to introduce you to some of the most popular ones in this post.

You Tiao

These can be literally translated as 'oil sticks', so you can imagine how (un)healthy they are for you.  Nonetheless, their yummy rating is so high and they seem so light that I can more often or not momentarily forget about my arteries clogging up and stuff my face with about 10 at a time.  You tiao come in pairs, and they should be crisp on the outside and fairly airy on the inside.

Flesh and Buns

Before embarking on a small adventure in Theatreland  to witness young Shakespeare's writer's block in "Shakespeare in Love", I went to Flesh and Buns for an early but exciting dinner. And it certainly inspired some good thoughts for this blog. 

Iketeru @ Hilton Sentral

As yesterday was a public holiday in Malaysia, we decided on a bit of a special lunch.  Iketeru has always been a firm favourite of mine - really good quality Japanese food, generous portions, and friendly staff, although it is somewhat on the pricey side.

We started off with a selection of sashimi - salmon, yellowtail and the real star of the show… lobster!  It was all delicious: the slices were just the right size and the texture creamy.  Yum!

From L-R: salmon, yellowtail & lobster

The Ultimate Chocolate Cookies

These are a firm favourite of my brother's, and I've made them more times than I can count. I started off on my cookie journey years ago (I know, I need to get a life!) and just followed lots of different recipes. But now, at the grand old age of 22, I can proudly present my very own, tried and tested (times a million) chocolate cookie recipe. It makes REALLY chocolate-y, gooey-but-crunchy-on-the-outside, melt-in-your-mouth cookies, and I think it's pretty foolproof.

Mediterranean Vegetable Pasta Bake

I think this is originally a Delia Smith recipe, but my mum has been cooking it for so long that she has made her own little tweaks. This is one of my favourites, and one that I always ask my mum to cook for me when I make a trip home. It does take a while to make, but the recipe itself isn't difficult to follow, and it is absolutely perfect for a big dinner party (served with a leafy green salad and garlic bread) as you can make it well in advance, put it in the fridge, then shove it in the oven while you entertain your guests! Major hostess points right there.