Asean Delight @ Spore Deli, Karama

are you a malaysian tourist in dubai sick of all the indian briyani and western fast food in your travels here? have some food close to home at ‘singapore deli’ in karama – offering singapore-malaysia-indo dishes that are hot and spicy – just as we asians like it!

if you’re a malaysian staying in dubai and has never heard of ‘singapore deli’, then you haven’t really lived in dubai. haha. or maybe you’re just a REALLY fantastic cook. huhu.

 

 

we’ve been here many times before when we first came to dubai around 2008 but i never got around to blog about it. now after a long time since we last came, we decided to have our dinner here.

it’s in karama, right opposite the burjuman center.

since the weather is nice and cozy and chilly, we enjoyed having our hot dinner right outside. it was more windy than usual that night, but when else can we savour winter in dubai than this time of year? just sit back and enjoy the cold air lah!

 

 

how’s their menu like?

interesting dishes that sounds suspiciously more indo than singaporean dishes – nasi tumpeng mini, nasi pepes, nasi timbel, nasi pecel ayam; down to the usual malaysian delights like nasi lemak and ayam panggang. the most singaporean dishes would be the chicken rice, and of course singapore meehon.

the place should be called asian deli instead! haha. takpe, kita kan serumpun. we have pretty much the same food! share-share makanan ni biase lah. haha.

 

i would eat this ‘nasi tumpeng mini’ again simply for its delicious sambal tempe goreng! terangkat!

 

mr. khairul tried the nasi tumpeng mini. this one is called ‘mini’ because usually the ‘nasi tumpeng’ is served with A LOT of different dishes (lauk) in small portion which is arranged all around the cone-shaped yellow rice (yellow because steamed with added tumeric/kunyit powder), and usually served as a celebratory dish – on special occasion.

this mini one was served with ayam panggang (juicy sweet grilled chicken), tempe goreng sambal, cut-up cucumber, egg and keropok. the actual huge-portion nasi tumpeng is also available at singapore deli for the really hungry tummy!

 

 

i went for the less-adventurous choice of ayam nasi panggang – which is just white steamed rice served with juicy-sweetly marinated grilled chicken and some cut-up veggie. we requested for a small bowl of plain savoury soup, FOC. it went very well with my plate of grilled chicken and rice. yum.

this dish relied solely on the grilled chicken as it doesn’t have anything else. the grilled chicken is marinated well, and tasted delicious. especially goes well with young kids who doesn’t like spicy food – and my khaleef loved it!

 

my growing boy had one whole plate all to himself!

 

if you wanna try another good plate of nasi ayam panggang, try the one in betawi. also a nice small place get indo food. read my review here.

we also tried the tantalizing kangkong belacan – spicy with that unmistakable yumness of belacan, just as it should be. well, of course any abe kelate in lembah klang can make a better plate of kangkong belacan, but we dubai beggars can’t be choosers, right?

 

 

it opens daily from 12 noon to 12 midnight, with the exception of friday of course, when they open after friday prayer at 3pm. should you crave for malaysian, indonesian and singaporean dishes in dubai, go to ‘singapore deli’.

..also, it’s just a nice change to visit a restaurant in dubai where you can speak malay to its waiters…

The Devil’s Double, Our Idiot Brother & Another Earth

syigim’s cinema is open with another reviews of 3 latest movies to grace the silver screen.

i watched a disturbing movie based on true accounts of the man who claimed to be the body double to uday saddam hussein in ‘the devil’s double’. the next movie is ‘our idiot brother’, the delightfully funny story of a brother with three sisters and how he changed their lives. finally, ‘another earth’, a movie about a world where another planet was just discovered; a planet that is exactly like our earth. exactly. including having another version of us in it!

 

* * *

 

 

was the son of saddam hussein really THAT sadistic downright psychotic? disturbing tortures, have naked birthday parties, kidnap young schoolgirls from the street and kill her when he’s ‘done’ with her? randomly shooting people according to his whims and fancies?

it was really disturbing how uday was potrayed in this movie – told through the eyes of the man who was recruited to become his body-double. very graphic, and very real.

dominic cooper delivered an oscar-worthy performance as both uday saddam hussein and the body double latif yahiya. i know him as this manly hot dude from the movie ‘an education’, and was surprised at his transformation for this double role. well done! as uday, he is this loud-mouthed goofy-looking prince with very unpredictable violence. as latif yahiya, he is this cool english-accented military man forced into this undesirable situation.

i’m not sure whether to recommend this movie, or warn you against it – but it’s probably too controversial to be ignored. your call.

 

* * *

 

 

this is a really cute movie. i don’t have any brothers, so i’m sometimes fascinated with the relationship mr. khairul has with his 3 sisters. mostly funny, sometimes caring and at times obnoxious like only a brother can be! this is a tale of a brother, and how he inadvertently changed the lives of his 3 sisters…

ned is a simple-minded guy, sweet and caring. fresh out of prison, he stays with his sisters – one at a time. each time he stays with a sister, he somehow gets involved in their lives with dreadful (but funny) consequence. he doesn’t mean to make things worse, as he is always just being honest, and wants the best for his sisters.

kind off like forrest gump, but instead of the annoying ‘jenny’ character, we have 3 sisters.

paul rudd does well in his ‘ned’ character. he’s endearing, funny and loveable. no matter how much he goofs up and messes with his sisters lives, you can’t help but feel sorry for him, and hates the sisters! haha. speaking of sisters, they did very nicely too playing the sister part. great acting.

overall a light comedy-drama to laugh, to cry and to just remember how much you need your siblings in your life, no matter how ‘stupid’ the things they do! hihi. highly recommended!

 

* * *

 

 

i’m so glad i stumbled upon this award-winning indie movie. it was such a moving piece – original storyline, powerful performance from these relatively unknown actors, wonderful cinematography and a banging ending. a must-see.

that night, a duplicate of our planet was discovered. another planet that is exactly like our planet, in every single way – including having another us in that planet! another person who is exactly like you. on that same night, a brilliant student crossed path with an accomplished successful composer in a tragic accident, that will change their lives forever.

i will leave the synopsis at that, as i don’t want to spoil your viewing pleasure any further. the pace of the story might be a tad slow for those who prefer fast-action-packed movies, but i’m telling you that the conclusion of the story is SO worth the wait, and will hit you right between the eye. it was like, woah. i absolutely LOVE the ending.

this movie is more than just a sci-fi drama about the discovery of a new planet with CGI-ed aliens – i recommend this movie strongly to all who believe in hope, believe in forgiveness and second chances.

enjoy the trailer.

 

 

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until we meet again in the next movie review!

Desert Camping Near Camel Road, Dubai-Hatta

we started the new year with desert camping!

well, we didn’t exactly slept on the sand under the stars beneath the cactus tree – but we did join 9 other malaysian families, and pitch our tent at the desert!

it’s winter in dubai, the best time to hang out at the desert…

 

 

9 cars zoomed across the camel road along the dubai-hatta route; according to mr. khairul this area is simply known as ‘camel road’.

we took some time to decide where to settle and set up camp. the last time we went to camp at a desert, we went further in so the desert was really vast and was nothing but sand dunes everywhere you look.

(read here for our 1st desert experience with the 3 boys)

however, this time we didn’t go too far inside the desert area, as some of the vehicles might not be able to drive through soft desert sand. so there were more stones, and dry tree branches around the area we stopped at.

well, it was still as beautiful as Allah’s creation can be!

 

 

when we finally got the spot, the men got right to pitching up the tents, while the ladies set up the picnic tables with all sorts of yummy homemade dishes. a few of them would be spending the night there, and the rest would leave – including us!

we almost wanted to stay – we’ve got the tent, we’ve brought comforters and pillows and extra socks – but without sleeping bags, i fear it could get extremely cold as the night progresses. winter in dubai can be very cold – and this is winter in DESERT dubai – it’s definitely way colder in the night!

so we decided, maybe next time lah! hihi. when we’re much better prepared…

 

see how deep kahfi’s feet went into the sand as he walked!

the boys had tons of fun going up and down the sand dune. now this time, the sand dune was so steep, that i was left breathless trying to climb up to the top of the dune. seriously people, it’s NOT as easy as it looks. especially when your feet sink so deep into the sand as you’re trying to push yourself up. phew! letih gile weh naik bukit pasir tu!

 

 

as the night creeps in, the boys lepak inside the tent. now this is my FIRST time of really hanging out inside a tent, in the middle of nowhere. mr. khairul is a king’s scout so he’s SO used to camping out – but i’m the exact opposite, camping for more than 12 hours (especially when kids aged 1-6 are involved!) is a no-no haha.

nways, it was really comfy and cozy hanging out inside the tent. away from the chilling breeze of the desert, we got really warm and toasty inside the tent. especially so seeing the camp fire at a distance. really toasty!

 

 

* * *

 

 

this was one of our many, many, MANY attempts at taking my picture with the boys. failed! miserably! haha. kazim kept wanting to escape. kahfi hated posing for the camera. and while khaleef loves to be photographed, he kept complaining about the sun in his eyes. oh, man!

oh well – there’s always the next time, and the next, and the next…

 

* * *

 

seeing this posting one day, i hope my sons realize how lucky there are to be able to experience this beautiful landscape that cannot be found in our home country malaysia. some people can enjoy snow, some live life by the beach, and some breathe the fresh kampung air – they got to play in the biggest sand-box ever!

syukur!

11 Memories for 2011

never too late to recap the beauty of 2011…

 

my eldest son khaleef’s *graduation* before going to year one~

 

abah & umi’s visit to dubai in january~ this was at the biggest mosque in UAE, sheikh zayed mosque in abu dhabi~

 

kazim turned ONE on april 1st!

 

watched stevie wonder LIVE in concert @ yas arena, abu dhabi! wee! unsangkarable moment!

 

mr. khairul got his harley davidson! vroom!

 

went back to malaysia in july and had a fantabulous spore getaway with abah, umi, my two younger sisters syida & azot. stayed at the beautiful festive hotel on sentosa island and hoo-ha-ing at universal studios singapore – priceless moments!

 

words cannot describe. our party of five. syimee, syigim, syima, syida & nazirah. me & my sisters in an impromptu photoshoot. at my dad’s place in ipoh. i’m gonna make this an annual thing!

 

had an indo-getaway with my sisters-in-law tina and teh with just the boys. mr. khairul had an urgent call to fly to saudi and had to pass on this. jakarta surprised me with her metropolitan front. truly an enriching experience.

 

my precious. all abah’s 9 grandkiddos in one shot for one rare second.

 

our 2nd time spending syawal in dubai. *smile*

 

the boys’ first time playing in the desert : what a blast!

 

* * *

 

wishing for 12 memorable moments for 2012 – and more! happy new year, people!

Garrett in Dubai : Caramel-Crazed Popcorn

have you tasted garret’s popcorn that’s creating a buzz in klcc malaysia right now?

been seeing 'garret' in dubai since forever, but never had the urge to buy or even try, because it's so expensive here! however, since i heard they just opened one in our beloved klcc in malaysia with a loo—oo---ng----g line of people buying, thought i tried it here in dubai where nobody cares! haha.

(also, jealous finding out my sisters dah rasa dulu! hohoho)

 

garrett’s caramel crisp popcorn

 

we went to the one in dubai mall – well, i think the only garrett in dubai IS in dubai mall. there are two actually, one is in the candylicious opposite the aquarium, and the other one is at the exit heading out to the musical fountain.

 

kahfi & khaleef with our popcorn. khaleef was delightfully obsessive about his pack of popcorn haha

 

established since 1949, it is stated in their fb page that garrett is a “chicago tradition, unchanged for 60 years, handmade fresh every day, one batch at a time, using only the highest quality ingredients.” wow. did they really hand-mixed all those popcorns in special copper kettles? classic!

well, 1949 tu! malaysia pun belum merdeka!

 

 

there are a few regular flavors or types of garrett popcorn like the classic caramel crisp, as well as sweet caramel-coated popcorns with nuts you like – almond, cashew, macadamia or pecan, and even cheese popcorn! and they even offer a new ‘spicy cheese corn’ flavor!’ popcorn, spicy? that’s really something.

it seemed that the most popular one is ‘chicago mix’ – a combo of caramel crisp popcorn and cheese corn. sounds tempting, but for a first-timer, i wanted to try the very basic, and then go from there.

 

pricey!

we got ourselves the LARGE caramel crisp, at aed34 per bag (i think more or less RM10 more expensive than in msia). and look at the price of the biggest gallon of caramel crisp – a whopping aed758! even for a big party i wouldn’t dream of spending that much on popcorns!

 

those people must really be caramel-crazy to buy this much!

 

 

i was fascinated with the packaging. 3 layers! first, the popcorns are packed in a clear plastic bag, rolled down air-tight. this was placed in a cute striped paper bag with cool taglines like ‘heavenly obsession’, and ‘gone in 60 seconds’, ‘rite of passage’, ‘unchanged for 60 years’ and ‘the pursuit of happiness’ and my favorite – ‘selfish gobblin’! hihi.

finally it’s placed in a fancier bag to take home. fancy!

 

 

* * *

alright.

so we finally tried this so-called best popcorn in the world hailed from chicago.

VERDICT : the caramel-freak boys (and i'm talking about MR. KHAIRUL and khaleef) love it, but it's too much la for me. ok, here’s my first meeting with the popcorn people will line up for :

1. i’m amazed at how big the popcorn kernels are
2. every single one popcorn is wholly covered in caramel
3. it’s hot! so it tasted really fresh when you pop one in
4. i tasted one, and WOAH – it really is one of the best popcorn i’ve ever tasted! (at first…)
5. i tried some more, and it can be quite addictive especially if you’re a sweet-tooth person – i’m sure you can’t stop popping them
6. but TO ME, really, after 4-5 more scoops of garret caramel popcorn, i gave-up the sugar rush – too sweet! too much caramel for my liking!
7. also, the caramel after-taste was so overwhelming, even after i stopped eating them, it felt like i just drank a whole cup of caramel drink or something. the caramel taste is so strong!
8. but it’s nice that none of the popcorn kernel has a hard part. all crispy crunchy popping all the way. sickeningly sweet way!
9. my eldest boy khaleef and mr. khairul are the caramel-popcorn-freaks in the house – they can even sit with a bucket of regular popcorn rummaging thru it looking for ONLY the brown caramel-coated popcorns, leaving the white tasteless ones for me huhu – so they’re ABSOLUTELY HYPNOTIZED already by garrett popcorns haha
10. interesting fact : my youngest boy kazim – who can eat anything from m&m’s to doughnuts to nasi goreng tomyam – tried one, and spit it out. he wouldn’t try again. hmm.

 

 

my final word on garrett’s caramel crisp – it’s definitely too sweet for me to eat a lot off, but seriously, who in the world could go back to regular jagung bertih TGV or reel cinemas popcorn after a taste of sweet-sticky rich heavenly caramel at garrett’s? right?

Briyani in Bamboo @ Masala Bay

briyani rice cooked in bamboo?

there are so many, many, MANY indian restaurants all over dubai. in order to stand out from the many, a restaurant needs to have good food with great price, good location with good service – and to be unique.

‘masala bay’ in discovery gardens may look like any other indian restaurant, service pretty much the same food – but the uniqueness lies in the way they serve their briyani!

 

briyani rice is served in bamboo trunk. the server pushes out the rice from the wooden tube, by edging a stick through an opening.

 

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this branch of ‘masala bay’ is situated in discovery gardens, serving south indian food of the kerala state which – like its name suggested – rich in ‘masala’ (indian spices). the fiery symbol on its red signage can also prepare you for the hot spices of their dishes!

 

 

my favorite color is yellow, so i was immediately drawn to their ceiling which brightens up the minimal interior of the restaurant. it’s not that spacious, but comfy. a small clear window shows the chef in action.

i love the pictures on the walls – close-ups of spices, chillis and my favorite is a world map made solely from small beads of indian spice. nice.

 

* * *

 

appetizer : the super crispy popadom which is unlike any indian popadam i’ve ever tasted. very thin and crispy, with curry leaves and sprinkled with what probably is paprika. it’s served with this green dip.

 

 

* * *

 

this is ‘raitha’, a cold yoghurt dip with cut-up cucumber and onion, usually served with indian food to balance the heat and spiciness of the dishes. i love to dip my popadam in this ‘raitha’, as i eat my spicy briyani. excellent.

 

love this one too. is this coconut chutney? hmm.

 

for the boys, we ordered roti canai.

you’d be surprise to know that although there are many indian restaurants in dubai, it’s not as easy to find GOOD roti canai (parotha they call it here). really!

here, they are not too big on roti canai because they make so many, many other types of indian ‘roti’. so the best roti canai in dubai so far that i’ve tried are from ‘green city’, and ‘appa kadai’. and then i found this one at ‘masala bay’, and i liked it! not bad. soft, with a little crisp brownish spots here and there. nice.

 

we accompanied our roti canai (the parotha) with this thick, delicious curry chicken. yum.

 

* * *

 

..and here’s the main dish!

we ordered mutton briyani and they’re cooked normal but later steamed in this cool, classic-looking bamboo trunk, and then served straight on our plate. the waiter pushes out the rice from the wooden tube, by edging a stick through an opening. what a presentation!

 

the portion can be shared by two, especially if you’re also eating parotha. hihi. i like this mutton briyani at ‘masala bay’ because they’re not too spicy and the spices – though rich in flavor but not too overwhelming like some briyani tend to be if you add too much spices. overall, a delicious treat – soft beads of rice, and the mutton easily shreded and tender.

 

* * *

 

as usual, mr. khairul’s trip to any indian restaurants is incomplete without an order of sada chai. this indian tea is heated up on stove together with the milk, water and tea leaves which gives it a more rich milky taste that mr. khairul loves. must always ask, “tea bag? or not?” if it’s JUST tea-bag, don’t go for it. hihi. try the original!

 

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while you wait for your order, you can enjoy amusing yourself with reading the jokes on its placemats. funny!

 

 

‘masala bay’ has a nice, relaxed ambiance to it, and the servers are polite and prompt. i would try this place again for the chicken briyani next!