Japan Food Fair at Isetan, KLCC

Yesterday afternoon I went to KLCC to have lunch with Emily, also to pass her the souvenir I bought in Hong Kong Disneyland. At last, we were able to meet up and chat for more than 5 minutes. The two previous meeting were very short, just like hi, how are you?, and goodbye.

I had the Chicken Devil set from Otak-otak Place in the KLCC Food Court.

After we parted ways, Emily going back to her office while I the one that is off shift get to stroll around KLCC because I saw my parking ticket just slight passed into the 2nd hour, so whether I go or not go I have to pay 1 more hour for just 5 minutes more at Suria KLCC. Off I go to explore the supermarket in Isetan, which is popular for the Japanese goods they got there, especially food.

Petronas is selling their Mercedes GP Petronas Merchandises at the concourse.

It was my lucky day because Isetan coincidentally is having Japan Food Fair from 1st of April until 10th of April 2011. There are a lot of food stuff from Hokkaido. From premium dried scallop to mochi. They even have a small kitchen that can cook up some Japanese dishes like ramen and don there for their customer. Not many table and seat though.

There's also one ojisan (uncle) promting black sesame jam. I found it a bit sweet for my liking, maybe it's because too much jam on a tiny piece of biscuit for the sample. A lot of food stuff there can be sample, so if you low in cash, you can come here and eat free food lol.

Variety of karaage (fried stuff).

So many different kinds of mochi.

My favourite is of course the sushi counter, where they have variety of sushi that usually not able to be find in a supermarket, some I never seen before even in Japanese restaurant. The chirashi don, sanshoku don and etc are so tempting.

So many variety of sushi don.

Some of the sushi I here I haven't seen before.

It's just too tempting to go home without buying anything. So, I bought grilled large scallops (RM 9.90 for 3 pieces) and Nigiri Sushi (RM 30.90) which have 2 pieces of Ikura Sushi (salmon roe), Uni Sushi (sea urchin) and Kani Sushi (Hokkaido crab).

The huge grilled scallops. The orange colour thing is the roe I think. (RM 9.90 for 3 pieces)

Salmon roe, sea urchin and Hokkaido Kind Crab Meat Nigiri Sushi. (RM 30.90)

Yummy. I will say that the price is a bargain. I think I can't find any Japanese restaurant that can beat the price here. If you fancy Japanese food, then you can't miss out this Isetan Japan Food Fair. Hurry up, it's only until 10th April 2011, which is this Sunday.

New Items From California Pizza Kitchen, KLCC

It's been almost more than 6 months since my last visit to California Pizza Kitchen (CPK). After 6 months, it is time again for CPK to bring some new items to their already rich menu that fills with a lot of nice dishes. I have WMW, Coco, WiLee, Sidney, and Rebecca to share all these nice food with. Trust me the portion from CPK is not small.

Sunriser

We starts off with a refreshing Moroccan Chicken Salad (Full RM 32++, Half RM 26++). A bite into the Moroccan-spiced chicken breast really gives me a Middle Eastern kind of taste. Tossed it up with Honey-Dijon vinaigrette, crisp Romaine lettuce, roasted butternut squash, dates, toasted almonds, fresh beets, chopped egg, carrots, dried cranberries, red bell peppers and of course my favourite fresh avocado. A healthy choice of appetizer.

Moroccan Chicken Salad (Full RM 32++, Half RM 26++)

After a cold appetizer, we were warmed up with Sonora Egg Rolls (RM 25++). This is more like a Mexican flavour. Well, American food is like a great melting pot, so you'll get food influenced by different country. Grilled lime chicken, roasted corn & black bean salsa, Cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses, fire-roasted mild chillies, green onions and cilantro, hand-wrapped in a crispy wonton roll. Quite a filling (pun intended) appetizer. Goes very well with the tomatillo salsa and ranchito sauce.

Sonora Egg Rolls (RM 25++)

New in the Specialty is the Ginger Salmon (RM 43.50 ++). Pan-sauteed Norwegian Atlantic salmon topped with chopped fresh cilantro, green onions and sweet ginger sauce. Served with wok-stirred mixed vegetables. One of my favourite dish of the night. I like the way that the salmon is cooked just at the right timing, which stills leave the juice inside the meat. Overcooked salmon is dry and chunky. The salmon is tasty enough without any sauce but dip a bit of the sweet ginger sauce to enhance the flavour.

Specialty is the Ginger Salmon (RM 43.50 ++)

I can eat the Pesto Cream Penne (With chicken RM 33++, With shrimp RM 36++, With chicken & shrimp RM 39++) everyday and will get bore of it. The basil pine nut pesto cream sauce is right for the penne. It's not overwhelming like carbonara and not too oily like aglio olio. Throw in some sun-dried tomatoes and Parmesan cheese and voila. Thank you WiLee to pose your hands for me to take the picture.

Pesto Cream Penne (With chicken RM 33++, With shrimp RM 36++, With chicken & shrimp RM 39++)

Rebecca the Spirit and WiLee.

There's not one but three new pizzas introduced into the menu starting 1st of July 2010. Let's start off with a meaty Meat Cravers (RM 38++). A combination of sweet Italian sausage, pepperoni, turkey bacon, spicy salami, julienne salami, Mozzarella cheese and CPK tomato sauce. Rebecca and I finds it a bit salty maybe because CPK is too generous with the amount of meat and cheese. I'll recommend a mug of beer to goes with it and it'll be perfect.

The Meat Cravers (RM 38++)

CPK weren't kidding when they named this pizza Cheeseburger Pizza (RM 38++, add turkey bacon RM 4++, add fresh avocado RM 6++). I took a bite and I thought I was eating Big Mac, which only tasted better because the ground beef is not too salty as the latter. Of course there's also the generous amount of caramelized sweet onions, Mozzarella and American cheeses, hearth-baked, and then topped with fresh tomotoes and chilled shredded lettuce tossed in CPK secret sauce. A plus point from me because of the added fresh avocado. I would have eaten one more slice if I don't have to save space for more food. I 'sapued' all the avocado though :p

Cheeseburger Pizza (RM 38++, add turkey bacon RM 4++, add fresh avocado RM 6++)

The Pesto Chicken pizza (RM 31++) seems to be the favourite among the pizzas that night. Why not? Basil always goes very well with pizza. Grilled chicken breast marinated in a basil pesto sauce with mild onions, Mozzarella cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, pesto sauce and toasted pine nuts. Topped with fresh basil. I'm craving for it again as I am writing this. I can just smell the nice aroma from the fresh basil and basil pesto sauce.

Pesto Chicken (RM 31++)

I downed all those food with a Passion Fruit Mojito. Ah...this is life.

Passion Fruit Mojito

It won't be a perfect dinner in California Pizza Kitchen if we didn't eat our favourite desserts. Red Velve Cake, Tiramisu and Chocolate Souffle Cake. Read my previous post for my review on these wonderful dolce.

Red Velvet cake, this time with ice-cream baby

Tiramisu

Chocolate Souffle Cake

It was a wonderful dinner with loads of good food. I won't wait 6 months to come to CPK again with food like these introduced to the menu. There are still the Tuscan White Bean Minestrone soup (Bowl RM 15++, Cup RM 11++) and Cranberry Walnut Chicken Salad Sandwich (RM 31++) that I haven't try yet from the new items added into the menu.


Address:

California Pizza Kitchen
Lot #140, Level 1, Suria KLCC
50088 Kuala Lumpur
* Mall is located at the Petronas Twin Tower
Tel: (+603) 2382 0512
Fax: (+603) 2382 0516
Business Hours: 11:30a.m. - 11:00p.m. daily (last order @ 10:30p.m.)
Website: www.cpk.com

California Pizza Kitchen, KLCC

I was at California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) last week to taste their Chinese New Year menu that will launched for the Double Happiness Celebration. Yes. Coincidentally this year Chinese New Year day 1 is also Valentine's Day. So, it will be a headache for those couples that is still in courtship. To celebrate CNY with family or to go out for a romantic dinner with bf/gf. Come to CPK and u can have it both. CNY menu for the family and Valentine's Day menu eat with lover lol.

There's a Special Dinner Menu for Two during 13th and 14th of Feb 2010. Cost only RM 88++, it comes with choice of selected half size salad , a choice of selected one pizza and one pasta and a choice of two glasses of mocktails or sparkling wine.

Let me recommend some of the choices that you can pick. We'll start with salads.

Fresh lettuce, so healthy right. My highly recommended salad. LOL. Just kidding.

It's a Lettuce Wraps. Comes with the lettuce is the stir-fried diced chicken and shrimp. Take a piece of lettuce leaf, put in some of the diced meat and a bit of the special Thai chili sauce. Wrap it and voila. Great food.

Rating: 3.5/5

The Miso Salad is my favourite. It's very refreshing and not overly tasting. The miso is just nice. The natural sweetness from the thinly sliced cabbage just made the whole salad fresher. One thing I noticed that the ingredients in the salad in CPK is cut into small small pieces so that I only have to use my fork to eat rather than have to cut the vegetable with a knife.

Rating: 4/5

The Thai Crunch Salad that I tried was added with avocado which is and add on option. For, avocado loving freak like me will surely opt for the add on. The salad suace used here is a bit peanut butterish. The salad tasted somewhat like gado-gado. So, we all concur that it might as well be call Bali Crunch Salad lol. Nevertheless, it's very good, maybe it's because of the avocado lol.

Rating: 4/5

The last salad I tasted is the Chinese Chicken Salad. Sauce tasted like Hoisin sauce was used as the dressing. This is the most heavy tasted salad of all. That is why I toasted the salad evenly. For people that like heavy taste dressing this might be a choice that they can pick.

Rating: 3/5

Next is the Kung Po Spaghetti. Optional of chicken or shrimp or both lol. I tasted a bean paste in the sauce. A very nice fusion of the East and the West. I prefer it to be a little bit more spicier. A very appetizing dish.

Rating: 3.75/5

Next noodle dish is the Garlic Noodle. A very Chinese style noodle dish because it uses yellow noodle instead of spaghetti but the condiment used with more of the Western style like broccoli and bell peppers. It tasted like longevity noodle for me, while Coco like it very much because she said it's like "mun yee min".

We were then treated with one of CPK best seller. The Peking Duck Pizza. Another fusion that make the pizza not so pizza lol. Low fat cheese is used, so ladies don't worry about the diet. It will be better if the crispy thingy were put at the side instead of on the pizza. More spring onion will be good. It's my personal taste. Some people might like it the other way around.

Rating: 3.5/5

One thing to note that the hot sauce used here is not your normal brand of Tabasco. The hot sauce here is imported from Mexico called Cholula. You might not be able to find it in other restaurant.

Lastly, we were all treated with dessert. Too bad Sue have to go off early so she missed the very nice Red Velvet Cake and Tiramisu. Red Velvet cake is actually dragon fruit mixed with chocolate hence the taste is a bit chocolaty. I love their Tiramisu the most. It has very strong rum taste instead of coffee like some Tiramisu I ate before in other restaurants. Those that like chocolate will probably fell in love with their Chocolate Souffle Cake. Rich in chocolate and top with optional vanila ice-cream it's a dessert to die for. Coming here for the dessert alone is worth a try.

Tiramisu: Rating: 4.5/5
Red Velvet: Rating 4/5
Chocolate Souffle Cake: Rating 4/5

Red Velvet Cake

Tiramisu

Yann and the Ruthles Eater were the other two bloggers there. Nice meeting you Sue and Ruth for the first time. Say hi to your aunt for me too Ruth.

Address:

California Pizza Kitchen
Lot #140, Level 1, Suria KLCC
50088 Kuala Lumpur
* Mall is located at the Petronas Twin Tower
Tel: (+603) 2382 0512
Fax: (+603) 2382 0516
Business Hours: 11:30a.m. - 11:00p.m. daily (last order @ 10:30p.m.)
Website: www.cpk.com