Miyabi Sushi & Bento : Japanese & Korean Dishes in Dubai

found a new delicious hangout for japanese food in dubai : ‘miyabi sushi & bento’ along sheikh zayed road. it offers a wide selection of japanese and korean dishes; from sushi to tempura and bento. soba, ramen and udon noodles and bulgogi bibimbap too. you’re really spoilt for choice, albeit slightly more expensive than at our favorite japanese restaurants ‘sumo’ or ‘bento-ya’.

‘sumo’ has always been our regular japanese makan spot as it’s close to our place – media city or the one jumeirah road. (click here for review on media city and here for jumeirah road.) however, mr. khairul’s favorite is ‘bento-ya’ along sheikh zayed road. (click here for review and directions to bento-ya)

he’s the japanese food-fan between us, so you gotta take his word for it.

 

 

* * *

 

‘miyabi sushi & bento’ is located in union tower along sheikh zayed road, next to four points by sheraton. it’s one hidden gem recognizable by the green signage, and bamboo exterior; giving it a japanese feel – which is ironic coz ‘miyabi sushi & bento’ is a californian chain. haha.

 

 

* * *

 

a plus presentation of their japanese tea. quite a nightmare when you have 3 boys who are curious about the heated teapot; but this is really lovely.

 

I’m SO not a fan of sushi; so I only look for stuff with ‘tempura’, ‘katsu’ or ‘teriyaki’ in it. I took the ‘samurai bento’ – with fresh crunchy veggies, juicy chicken teriyaki, 3 kinds of sashimi, and mixed tempura. served with hot steamed rice.

 

the teriyaki chicken is absolutely delicious. well-marinated and so juicy. texture is soft and tender – a winner.

 

not only are my mixed tempura crispy, it’s freshly hot which makes it even more tantalizing. I love the prawns tempura, and surprisingly even the tempura lady fingers. love it.

 

I repeat – I’m SO not a sushi fan but I’ve got some in my bento so I thought of just giving it a try. ngap. nope, still hates it. so off to mr. khairul’s bento you go, you weird-tasting sushi thingys. well, at least I can taste the freshness!

 

now this is mr. khairul’s meal – he took the ‘shogun bento’ – with pretty much the same stuff I got in my ‘samurai bento’ however, instead of teriyaki chicken, he has teriyaki salmon; and instead of the sushi, he has one of those raw-looking slices of fish.

 

mr. khairul loves his salmon teriyaki. I tried a few bites and the flesh is well-seasoned that the taste seeps through the fish. delicious. but I’ll stick to my chicken.

 

khaleef my eldest is starting to follow bapak’s palate – he’s a curry-freak already, and now he just loves japanese food, especially the japanese ‘miso soup’. his favorite dish when we go to japanese restaurants is the ‘chicken katsu’. however, the chicken katsu at ‘miyabi sushi & bento’ is slightly dry, so it’s not as juicy as the ‘chicken katsu’ at ‘sumo’ or ‘bento-ya’. still tasty in khaleef’s term.

 

* * *

 

overall, the food at ‘miyabi sushi & bento’ is delicious, with a nice ambiance and a good location too (not too far from our place, parking is fairly easy, along sheikh zayed road).

however, it’s more expensive than we’re used to at our other regular japanese hangouts. we may come again for the wide selection, but for our usual favorites, we’ll stick to ‘sumo’ or ‘bento-ya’!

Movie Review : Ender’s Game, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, The Butler & Blue Jasmine

just watched four incredible movies – a fantastic sci-fi action movie ‘ender’s game’; ‘the secret life of walter mitty’ an engaging quirky story of a daydreamer who finally seized the day, the drama about african-american civil rights movement seen from the eyes of ‘the butler’; and woody allen’s dark comedy about a housewife coming to terms with her failed marriage in ‘blue jasmine’.

this time I want kacang puteh please. and iced milo.

 

* * *

 

 

awesome, awesome movie. ‘ender’s game’ is by far, one of the most entertaining sci-fi action movies I’ve seen in a LONG time. I mean, pacific rim was a freaking cool movie BUT with a dumb storyline, while elysium falls flat to really stir my feelings. ‘ender’s game’ delivers all – great storyline, fine acting, jaw-dropping CGI and awesome soundtrack. it’s a whole package.

it has heart, and it has got style.

‘ender’s game’ is set in the future, where the army recruits intelligent kids to helm the armed forces to fight against ant-like aliens. what happens when the game becomes real? in the middle of it all, a young boy stood out to save the world. or will he?

asa butterfield as the young commander is amazing in this movie. I like him since ‘hugo’. his mature acting, his expression and the way he delivers his lines – I mean, cammon that scene with harrison ford where they had that intense argument – ANY actor who can still steal the limelight in an argument scene with the great harrison ford is a great actor in my book. and he’s young.

mr. khairul still sees it as a kids’ movie, but I say naah. brace yourself, star wars fan, you could be seeing another saga in the making, because the ending begs for a second part. and I’m not exaggerating! it’s interesting to note that ‘han solo’ is the one doing the recruiting! geddit? geddit? and I’m happy to say that andrew wiggin is SO much cooler (and cuter) than luke skywalker…

watch this with your kids! they will totally love this cool movie!

 

 

* * *

 

 

ever daydream? I bet your daydreaming is nothing like walter mitty’s. when he daydreams, walls break like ice boulders, he’s able to skate through tar roads like water, and he even have a different accent. ‘the secret life of walter mitty’ has a very unique storyline, and I enjoyed watching it very much.

it has a simple storyline – walter mitty needs to track down a photographer, to get the negative of a very important photo to be used as a cover in the last issue of ‘life’ magazine. he often daydreams because as a person, he never did anything interesting or worth mentioning. now that he needs to find this photographer, he beats all odds, and go against his character and went on a most awesome journey.

oh and the cinematography is breathtaking. kalah lord of the rings hihi. especially since it’s not all CGI-ed. they went on-location and shoot. quite rare in hollywood these day and age haha.

I’ve always been a fan of ben stiller. he’s so creative, and if you look at his movies, no two characters are the same. he’s multi-layered; like johnny depp. and in walter mitty, he delivers another great performance.

mr. khairul feels that the constant break into daydreaming is distracting and made the movie seemed like a mockery – sikit-sikit berangan, sikit-sikit berangan – mana satu betul ni? but for a fan of quirky movies like this, I totally enjoyed the berangan part.

I highly recommend this movie! you have GOT to watch the very heart-warming ending. truly the ‘quintessence of life’!

 

 

* * *

 

 

I don’t know much about the african-americans civil rights movement in america, but I feel that this movie presents a unique take on one of the most pivotal times in american history – seen from the eyes of an african-american butler, who worked at the white house. what better way to get hands-on top secret information or snippets of conversations between the leaders of america.

I have to admit that I watched this simply because of oprah. and she’s fantastic in this. she’s not just in the movie because she’s one of the most recognizable celebrities of our time – she can really act. and yes, everyone is talking about that SLAP. haha. too bad she was not nominated for oscars despite the buzz it created.

forest whitaker is as great as he always is, but I was very excited to see all the big names like robin williams, alan rickman, john cusack and james marsden play american president throughout the time the butler was working at the white house. jane fonda was first lady, and even mariah carey was there! awesome.

it’s a well-made movie. with a narration – which I love. watch it for a different point of view of the revolution. the butler’s.

 

 

* * *

 

 

a quirky dark comedy that fans of woody allen can truly appreciate. lots of witty lines, funny anecdotes from the leading characters and a solid storyline with a slap-on-the-face ending. another great movie from the grand master of ‘uncomfortable’ comedy, woody allen. I love woody allen’s movies!

a rich, posh socialite had to turn to her less classy sister after her downfall – husband in jail, money all gone, her mind in denial. she struggles to fit into her new lower-class life with her sister while trying to pretend she still has money to burn. the *fun* begins when she meets a rich politician-to-be…

cate blanchett delivers a convincing performance – you’re embarrass for her, you feel sympathy, you feel hate; and you feel her depression, her insanity and you feel her happiness when she was with the new guy – cate blanchett brought out all these different emotions and works wonders with each one. an award-winning performance. (already winning a golden globe, and she’s up for best actress category at the oscars)

highly recommended to all fans of woody allen, and if you like dark comedy with a twist at the end. mr. khairul doesn’t stand a movie with too much dialogue – but woody allen has won oscars for best writing and original screenplay for a reason – funny, witty lines that would darkly tickle your funny bones.

the screenplay for ‘blue jasmine’ is also nominated for best writing and screenplay at this year’s academy awards. so there!

 

Eat Breakfast Singapore Style in Dubai @ Ya Kun Coffee & Toast

there’s a new place in dubai that takes me home – the feeling of eating breakfast at a kopitiam back in malaysia – but it’s actually a singapore café called ‘ya kun coffee & toast’, open since 1944!

 

 

it’s open in ibn battuta mall, appropriately placed at the china court (the rest memang tak masuk tema la kot – india court, egypt court or persian court), it’s right by the carpark area. just walk in, and you’ll be greeted by an old chinese uncle pouring out coffee. really singapore lah! haha.

 

the cute chinese uncle showing the way~

 

such a pleasant, comforting surrounding while you enjoy your kaya toast breakfast. a man-made pond with sounds of trickling water and birds chirping!

 

the unmistakable merlion on the counter – the mythical creature with a lion’s head and body of a fish – the mascott of singapore.

 

famous landmarks of singapore. bestnya lah kalau restoran malaysian macam ni kat dubai!

 

offering a selection of typical kopitiam breakfast – the classic kaya toast, soft-boiled eggs or sandwiches. the sandwiches are uniquely singapore – tomyam sandwiches or sardin sambal sandwiches!

 

we took the kaya peanut toast set – complete with milk tea and soft-boiled egg. simple, straightforward and traditional. what’s not to like?

 

hot milk tea. take a sip. feel the wind. listen to the trickling water. lovely.

 

my kaya peanut toast. to me, proportion is key. not too much spread on my bread; or too little. this one is just nice. but aiyo the bread is too thin lah! tak puas wo. 

 

haha so fascinated watching bapak mix pepper and light soy sauce into the soft-boiled egg. my sons are fans of soft-boiled eggs. especially my eldest. he loved it since he’s 6 months old! haha. back in malaysia this was mr. khairul’s favorite breakfast to be eaten with his roti canai.

 

can you spot the two singing lovebirds? so wonderful to be entertained while we munch our toast and sip our tea.

 

tapau some kaya balls. sorry, kaya ball kat jusco pon lagi sedap kot. maybe because yang kat jusco tu kita makan panas-panas kan dia buat dan-dan tu jugak. yang ni maybe has been sitting for some time. so it’s not so freshly made, not as soft and gebu – but the kaya inside is tasty.

 

* * *

 

oh well. to me, we might come back for the perfect soft-boiled eggs but that much dirham for kaya and toast? I think I can get 3 pieces of KFC chicken with the same price. aku tunggu mak mertua bawak homemade kaya lagi bagus kot. kih kih.

but if you’re dying for a small piece of singapore, amidst china-themed surroundings and man-made pond, head on to ‘ya kun coffee & toast’ when you’re at ibn battuta mall, jebel ali.

Mango Curry & Iced Chili Drink @ Calicut Paragon

‘calicut paragon’ in karama is one of our favorite indian restaurants in dubai. for the best dry fry crab with the juiciest flesh and spicy marinade, this is the place to be.

however, during our umpteenth visit to ‘calicut paragon’, we decided to eat hot steamed rice with fish curry – and not just any normal fish curry – but MANGO fish curry! also, mr. khairul was pushing his adventurous foodie card a little too far this time by ordering an iced cool drink – with cut-up chili in it.

yeap. icy cold drink with chili slices. crazy!

 

the scary drink called ‘green fire’ with sliced chili

 

steamed rice, with mango fish curry – my first try

 

* * *

 

one of our favorite indian restaurants in dubai – other than appa kadai, and saravana bhavan

 

other than our must-order dry fry crab, this is also our favorite appetizer – the ‘spinach delight’, crispy fried spinach served with garlic flavored spicy sauce. crispy, crunchy, delicious and really appetizing! we never come here without ordering a plate!

 

tangy mango fish curry

 

this is the first time I tried the ‘mango fish curry’, fresh fish and raw mango in creamy coconut milk. hmm mango. I half-expected this dish to be slightly on the sweet side like our malay ‘pajeri nenas’. then I remembered that I LOVE pajeri nenas, so I would probably like this dish too. it does have that slight tang of mango but not too empowering.

the flesh of the fish falls off easily from the bones like jelly. lovely texture. the curry gravy is not too thick. an overall delicious dish that is so perfect with hot steamed rice. highly recommended.

 

the star : the dry fry crab

 

“..and this is the dish that we came here for. if you’re a crab-fan, don’t miss trying this dry fry crab when you’re at ‘calicut paragon’.

it’s marinated to perfection, and spiced well. the bits of crumbs on the plate floor adds to the appeal of this dish. mr. khairul was disturbingly quiet the entire time as he ravaged through the delicious dry fry crab. literally tak toleh kiri kanan!

i only get to taste one bite! but that’s just because i’m no fan of this side-walking creature of the sea. i’ll let the real crab-freak finish this one!”

- what I wrote in my first ever review of the dry fry crab at ‘calicut paragon’. click here to read more.

 

me eating briyani rice or steamed rice and indian curry is incomplete without these accompanying buddies – the every appetizing crispy popadam, and the refreshing yoghurt dip ‘raitha’. it’s like my ‘sambal belacan’ la. must have!

 

‘the green fire’, a drink with chili, said to be a popular drink in some parts of india

 

and now we come to that crazy drink that mr. khairul was bold (and brave) enough to try – called the ‘green fire’ described in its menu as a ‘refreshing passion fruit drink with ripped chili and lime’.

the key word is CHILI. it’s suicide for your tongue!

mr. khairul stirred, and plunged his straw deep down, and took a sip. I’m sure steam was coming out of his ears macam citer kartun tu. it was a weird combo – icy cold, and yet super spicy.

actually the trick is to pull up your straw and drink the top part of the drink; since all the chili and whatnot are at the bottom. then only you get the passion fruit taste with that intended spicy zing. it won’t be that spicy. mr. khairul found this out the hard way – only after subjecting his taste bud to this incomprehensible spicy chili drink!

 

 

click here to read our first experience at ‘calicut paragon’.

Kahfi’s Birthday Pizza @ California Pizza Kitchen, MOE

my 2nd son kahfi turned 5 years old last 23rd december. since he’s a pizza freak, we brought the boys to a pizza place in the mall of emirates – california pizza kitchen.

 

refreshing vanilla sundae with choclate syrup – complimentary birthday treat from the california pizza kitchen to a cheerful birthday boy in his buzz lightyear space ranger hoodie!

 

* * *

 

birthday boy wants strictly pepperoni and cheese pizza. no more, no less. anong khaleef moody coz he wanted JUST cheese on his pizza. at california pizza kitchen, the price for JUST cheese and cheese with pepperoni is the same, so I think it’s worth the money to take pizza with lauk sikit. haha. takde la cheese je tapi harga sama.

 

trying a new pizza for mak and bapak.

 

the ‘jamaican jerk chicken pizza’ – grilled jamaican jerk spiced chicken breast with spicy sweet caribbean sauce, mozzarella cheese, crispy beef bacon, mild onions, roasted red and yellow peppers and green onions. delicious! the spicy sweet sauce really is the star that dominates the tasty pizza; it can overwhelm after a while but overall a delicious pizza that I would definitely order again on my next visit.

 

birthday boy enjoying his birthday pizza

 

* * *

 

 

* * *

 

just across MOE’s california pizza kitchen is the ‘toy’s store’. so convenient, huh for birthday boy looking for a birthday present? haha. we just tagged along while kahfi rushed in looking for the hot wheels section. bam! didn’t take long for him to choose his favorite. he has been watching youtube channels in toy reviews. adoi!

 

tada!~

My 2nd Born Kahfi Turns 5ive!

happy birthday to my adorable kahfi. he’s stubborn, kuat merengek and sometimes too manja. yet he’s loving, he’s incredibly funny and his smile just melts your heart.

happy 5th my boy!

 

just a quiet celebration (still lots of loud singing) with just his brothers and bapak. birthday boy and the floating chocolate cake. haha.

 

kahfi is a huge fan of disney’s ‘cars’ so naturally, I gotta make a cake with lightning mcqueen on top!

 

birthday boy kahfi and his slice

 

* * *

 

while big bro khaleef is crazy about dinosaurs, kahfi is a freak when it comes to hot wheels – so we combined the two and got him this ‘t-rex takedown hot wheels’ for his birthday. hours of fun! (hopefully not get bored after 5 minutes and will leave this in the room to go switch on the x-box!)