FREE Accounting Software For Startups, Micro and Small Business - Financio Cloud Based Accounting System

One of the hurdles to success for entrepreneurs, regardless of how viable their business, is being able to properly manage the financial side of the business. With the launch of a new accounting automation software called Financio, things can be a lot easier.

Developed by Asian Business Software Solutions Sdn Bhd (ABSS) – a subsidiary of Censof Holdings Bhd that was acquired in 2015 – with startups, micro and small businesses in mind, Financio is suitable for users with little or no accounting knowledge, to manage their accounts with little or no outside help.

“Many startups and small businesses cannot afford or see the need for an accountant in the early stages. This is a risk as they can lose track of their financials and performance because they are flying blind and cannot be in control of a business if they don’t know what is going on,” said ABSS Chief Executive Officer Paul Conway at the launch of Financio in Kuala Lumpur today.

Financio is designed to be used by non-accountants, it is user-friendly and does not require any accounting knowledge to operate. It also allows the sender and recipient of the transaction to communicate and share documents on the same platform.

“And because micro and small businesses are crucial to local economies by generating income for families while creating job, products, and services, ABSS is also offering the basic version of Financio for FREE, for life, as our contribution to society,” he added.

It basically takes away most of the bookkeeping process from the business, and all users need to do is put in the sales and purchase figures. The system will do the rest such as double entries, generate reports and tax records.

Users can track sales and purchases and miscellaneous transactions, automatically generate financial reports and tax records, also automatically forward transactions to recipients via email and inventory tracking.

Financio also offers multi-currency support, real-time backup, Malaysian GST support, file storage for attachments to transactions and, because it is Cloud-based, it can be accessed from anywhere.

“There’s even a feature called ‘Financio Connect’ that allows businesses to connect with one another, just like adding a friend on social media, and once a connection between two businesses has been established, it works seamlessly by allowing transactions to be sent across to each other as well as communicate on a single platform,” said ABSS Chief Technology Officer (Cloud) Jye Eng.

“We realized that the younger generation is becoming the main driver of the country’s economy, they tend to be more IT savvy, willing to try new things, and want to have a clearer picture of their business’ finance and access their data anywhere they go,” added Eng.

Users can try Financio for free and use the full function-rich premium version with a low entry cost of RM32.95 a month or RM329.50 a year.

The launch version is in English, with the Bahasa Malaysia and Chinese versions to be launched by the 2nd quarter of 2017.

“Micro and Small businesses make up 97% of the SMEs in Malaysia. We target to get 20 per cent of them or about 125,000 users by March 2018, and in 2017 we will be introducing Financio into Singapore by June and into Hong Kong, Philippines and Indonesia by September” said Conway.

For more information, you can check out Financio Website

Ramadan 2017 Buffet Big Apple Restaurant Berjaya Times Square Hotel Kuala Lumpur

This Ramadhan 2017 is a time for reflection and celebration. It is also a time to be spent with friends and family. To usher in the holy month of Ramadan this year, the chefs of Big Apple Restaurant Berjaya Times Square Hotel, Kuala Lumpur has skilfully put together a sumptuous buffet spread (Bazaar Themed Buffet Feast) with more than 200 authentic local cuisines, promising an exceptional dining experience for all.

Tantalized your taste bud with a culinary adventure to taste out more than 200 varieties of traditional Malay cuisines from all the different states of Malaysia.

True to the bazaar theme this year, the casual all-day dining outlet, The Big Apple Restaurant at level 14 will be transformed into a bazaar. The outlet will feature the classic Ramadan bazaar stalls reminiscent of those found in popular outdoor bazaars around Malaysia during the festive period.

Ramadan 2017 Buffet At Chakri Palace KLCC Kuala Lumpur Tantalizing Tastes of Thailand

This Ramadan 2017, Chakri Palace is delighted to once again hold a special buffet of Thai cuisines and local favorite dishes especially for “Tantalizing Tastes of Thailand” buffet promotion which will be available at Imperial Chakri Palace KLCC and Chakri Palace Pavilion KL from 30th May 2017 onwards.

Get your taste-bud ready for this amazing Buffet which is specially prepared by the team of Thai Chefs which has a spread of more than 50 modern and authentic Thai & local favorites dishes starting with the selection of local Ulam-Ulam and Kerabu,

others include the popular Thai Mango Salad, Thai Papaya salad.

or the Thai Glass Noodle Salad



The famous Thai starter with seven ingredients “Mieng Kam”, Samosa, Crispy Thai Spring Rolls, Thai Crispy Fried Noodles and much more.



For the main course, you can indulge in the Thai cuisine selections such as Thai Green Curry Chicken,

The Prawn With Butter Sauce Topped With Salted Egg and Stir Fried Squid With Salted Egg,

Thai Food Promotion - Absolute Thai Buffet Dinner at Makan Kitchen Double Tree Hilton Kuala Lumpur

Flavours of Thailand at DoubleTree by Hilton Kuala Lumpur proudly presents its rich flavours of authentic Thai cuisines that will ignite your taste buds with its guest chefs hailing from Conrad Bangkok Bangkok

Let your taste buds tingle with delight in heat and spice as DoubleTree by Hilton Kuala Lumpur brings authentic, beautiful and tasty dishes for guests to enjoy, featuring renowned Thai chefs from sister properties Conrad Bangkok and Hilton Sukhumvit Bangkok, to exhibit a Thai dining experience like no other. Starting from March 1, 2017, to April 30, 2017, DoubleTree by Hilton Kuala Lumpur will be offering five Thai inspired promotions for everyone to savour. 

Absolute Thai Buffet Dinner at Makan Kitchen which start from 3 March – 30 April 2017 Monday till Sunday 6:30 pm to 10:30 pm is priced at RM135 nett per person.

Our tasting started with the 2 appetizer; the first of which is the Som Tam which is a

Thai Papaya Salad with dried shrimps, roasted peanuts & chili mixed with a lime dressing 

while the second one is a rather unique to a Thai dish which is Gung Che Num Pa. Raw prawns are usually associated to Japanese but here the Chef serves this Raw Tiger Prawns with a cold specially crafted Thai dip. Truly an experience to taste it. Went for a second and third helping.

You can't complete a Thai dining experience until you taste the Tom Yam Soup which the Chef has chosen the Fresh water prawn as the base ingredient. The selection of this is superb as the roe in this prawn when mix with the spicy sourish soup was excellent although it was a tad on the salty side for me.

For the night, we were served 3 specialty mains dishes; the first is the Pla Neung Manao which essentially a Steamed Seabass with fragrant lime broth served with Khao Suay Steamed Thai white rice. We like the balance taste slight of spicy and sourish taste of this dish. 

This is then followed by the Nam Tok which is Grilled Angus Beef with Thai salad.

Our last main to taste was the Gang Kiew Wan Gai which is Thai green curry chicken. There were this pebbles like ingredient which we thought was the green peas but it was a mini brinjal which has a slight bitter taste to it.  

For the vegetables, the chef has cooked up the Rau Muong Xao Mam Tom which is also a Malaysian popular dish; Kang Kong with chilli & shrimp paste. I particular like this dish as the shrimp paste was not salty and has a distinct flavour in it.

For dessert, you can't missed out on the Khao Nieaw Mamuang which essentially is the Mango sticky rice.

and the Sangkaya Fukthong - Pumpkin custard

and finally the Tub Tim Krob i.e. Red Ruby & Jack fruit in coconut milk

The above is the special dishes that was cooked up for us to taste but there are many other Thai and local dishes (more than 80 dishes) for you to taste out for this buffet dinner spread.

Head Thai Chef for Conrad Bangkok, Inthira “Chef Jib” Phumpaijitr, draws inspiration from a strong Thai family heritage and has cultivated a robust hotel background in authentic Thai culinary. Combining hot cooking with a special skill in fruits and vegetable carving, her path to culinary success started from very humble beginnings as a pantry lady in a beach resort in Pattaya.

Today, her culinary prowess and kitchen leadership have taken her to countries like Finland, Denmark, Egypt and Sri Lanka to share her Thai inspiration and innovative creations. Now in Malaysia, Chef Jib will be in DoubleTree by Hilton Kuala Lumpur for one month in March 2017 to share her unique talents of authentic Thai cooking.

Makan Kitchen Double Tree Hilton Kuala Lumpur Location Address Map

Sri Petaling Steamboat at Yugami Steamboat Restaurant 渔家味火锅屋

Steamboat is one of the most popular food among Malaysian; especially during the rainy season. We had the chance to taste a special steamboat in Sri Petaling at Yugami Steamboat Restaurant which offers its' steamboat with their speciality broth.

Yugami Steamboat Restaurant Address

107G, Jalan Radin Bagus, Bandar Baru Sri Petaling

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Yugami Steamboat Restaurant facebook

According to the owner, the name Yugami is actually a Chinese word which means Yu Ga Mei literally meaning Fishing Family Taste. Many people including your sincerely thought it was a Japanese Steamboat restaurant.

There are 3 things that make a steamboat outstanding from each and every steamboat restaurant; The first is the broth and the second is the dipping sauce. While the third most important criteria are the freshness of its ingredients.

On the broth offering for its steamboat, here in lies the difference; They are six different broth option for you to choose from namely the Curry Fish Broth which is served with the fried fish head and comes with the usual ingredient like the Ladies Fingers, Fried Bean Curd, Long Beans and Brinjal. You can literally eat it on its own with the option to order some rice or noodles to go with the broth.



or the Spicy Broth based; which has shredded pork loin meat with pig stomach. The taste is much like the Pepper Soup with Pig stomach although a slightly toned down version.



But for me, my favourite soup based is the Fish Pot which came with Fried Fish Head meat. You can up your orders with an add-on of Fresh Prawns. An order of this will start you off with the flaming of the broth with a bowl of liquor. This gives the soup based an added aroma and flavour to the already tasty soup based.



Others soup broth based you can try out is the Assam Laksa, Seafood TomYam and Tomato with Potato Broth.

Prawn Paste With Ebiko

At Yugami Steamboat Restaurant; they are also some home-made specialities ingredient that can be ordered to go with your favourite broth.

Fresh Prawns

All the ingredients are ordered ala-carte meaning you order those ingredients that you really love to eat with your steamboat; unlike the pre-set option which can sometimes be wasteful for those that do not consume certain ingredient.

For us, we ordered some of their signatures frozen tau foo; it is our first time tasting this as it will be to absorb more broth into the beancurd when cooked.

Fried Fish Skin; lovely with a slight simmer to the soup based;



or try out some of the fishballs or meatballs too.



other choices like this Enoki Roll for you to choose from.



Besides serving the usual steamboat ingredients, Yugami also serves snacked food for you to start off your meals with; we did order the Salted Eggs with Squid to taste.



At Yugami Steamboat Restaurant, there are some special package offers for those, you can visit their facebook page for the latest offer.

Yugami Steamboat Restaurant Location Address Map

Wine Appreciation at Gallo Wine Bar Taman Desa Old Klang Road Kuala Lumpur

Wine appreciation takes a new level at Gallo Wine Bar which recently opened its' door to serve wine from all over the world and food menu that are specially crafted to be paired with these fine wine. At Gallo Wine Bar you will be able to enhance not only your knowledge of wine but to be able to appreciate the finer details of wine appreciation.

Gallo Wine Bar Location Address Map

5-1-1, Jalan 2/109F, Taman Danau Desa,

58100 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Gallo Wine Bar Facebook

On entry to the wine bar, one can feel the ambience and atmosphere that is cosy yet homey. Most of the seating setup here are of the chesterfields settee and gives you the English continental feel that prepares us for a night of great wine and nice food.

At Gallo Wine Bar, one can easily order the wine of your choice thru the ingenious Wine menu that is segregated by its originating country, region, type of grapes, body and its fruitiness. This will make it easy for you to really understand your need for that special wine to be paired with the food.

The night started with the introduction of the wine of the month which is the Litoral Leyda Valley Chile Pinot Noir 2012 by our host.

Our first tapas for the night is the Cheese Crackers (RM18.00). Cheese is the best partner for wine and what a nice way to start off our review with this simple Cheese Crackers. We like the wafer-thin crust of the Parmesan Cheese which is paired with Honey Sauce, Rock Melon and Green Apple

Next on is the Lambor Guinness (RM18.00); a dish of in-house made lamb meatball. The meatball which is wrapped with the bacon is stewed with the Guinness Sauce. Although a tad of saltiness, the sauce is really enticing and eaten with the garlic bread that is served as a side was just the right start.

The Mushroom Threesome (RM18.00) is a delicate dish that comprises the combination of sauteed Portobello Mushroom, Fried Button Mushroom and Eringi Mushroom which is topped with Duck Bacon, Onion Ring; makes it nice starters.

The next dish is not really my favourite as I am not a real fan of Mac and Cheese. But this Grown Up Mac and Cheese (RM35.00) was cooked in the pan to ensure that it is kept warm for as long as possible. The use of the Jack Cheese which is served with the Duck Bolognese Sauce and topped with pan fried Duck Sausage makes the difference that had me take in a couple of extra spoonfuls. 

This is followed by the Smoked Salmon Roll With Vodka Cream (RM18.00). Served with a mixed green salad with Orange it has a tangy taste that went well with the Vodka infused cream that is wrapped with the smoked salmon roll with a topping of the caviar to finish it up. Another perfect dish that paired well with our wine.

Next on is the Beef Brisket Asian Slaw Mantou Sliders (RM18.00) A move from the norm is this sliders dish, The mantou is steam first before frying it to give a nice soft spongy texture on the inside while a slight wafer thin crust on the skin of the mantou. Nice combination although some might find it a little too sourish from the use of the young mango slices.

For a taste of BBQ item, we had the Yakitori Station Sea Prawn with Pickle Papaya and Lemon Zest (RM18.00). We like this BBQ prawns as it has that zesty lemon taste with every bite. Eaten with the pickled papaya which has a slightly sour taste bring out the best in the wine.

The second dish from the Yakitori section is the Not Your Ordinary Chicken Teriyaki (RM15.00). Tender Chicken leg meat is skewered in between with the cut leek and coated with the teriyaki sauce.

The last tapas we had is the Mushroom Pizza (RM18.00)  A nice combination of everything mushroom that comes combine with the right balance of mozzarella cheese with a thin crust that makes it savoury for the wine. A strong aroma of truffle was evident as the pizza arrives at on our table.

For dessert, we had the Brie (RM16.00). The Brie Cheese is served on a hot pan and was a nice combo with the Cranberry Sauce while the Gooseberry and Strawberry add a sour dimension to this dessert with the Walnut giving you a nutty crunch feel for this dish. 

If you are one of those beginners wine drinkers, you might just go for the monthly Wine of the Month or ask the staff for the right wine to be recommended to you.

Gallo Wine Bar Location Address Map