A Makan Kitchen Showcase: The inaugural Seven Chefs Exchange Program
In a country known for its rich tapestry of flavors, Malaysia stands out as a culinary paradise. And DoubleTree by Hilton properties across Malaysia are not just places to stay; they are gateways to an unforgettable culinary odyssey.
The inaugural Seven Chefs Exchange Program, titled "Signatures Across the State: A Makan Kitchen Showcase," is set to redefine the dining experience. This nationwide campaign brings together seven talented chefs to create innovative culinary creations, blending their unique talents and flavors.
DoubleTree by Hilton's Culinary Delight: Signatures Across the State: A Makan Kitchen Showcase
The Legacy of Nasi Kandar Basikal: A Culinary Journey Through Generations
Experience the culinary marvel that is Nasi Kandar Basikal, a name etched in the annals of Malaysian gastronomy, proudly holding the Malaysian Book of Records title for the Most Dishes Served Daily in a Nasi Kandar Restaurant.
Nasi Kandar Basikal: Proudly Recognized by the Malaysian Book of Records
Drinks Events: Elevate your daily routines and uncover your playful side with new experiences in your city with Edelweiss.
Life's seriousness often hinders us from engaging in exciting activities. But, deep down, everyone yearns for fresh experiences to break up their monotony. What if thrills and surprises awaited you right around the corner? Edelweiss, the premium wheat beer born in the Alps, is here to revitalise fans and stimulate their senses so they may enjoy life playfully and excitingly.
With every sip of Edelweiss, fans may seek out fun, new experiences in their cities, from simple pleasures to deeper connections with people who matter - giving them a taste of the freedom, excitement, and playfulness. Edelweiss is here to inspire fans to rediscover their cities in a new light by upgrading their drinking experience and letting their playful side take over.
Feel The Alps in KL, Penang & Johor Bharu With Edelweiss
Street Food Festival: As Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Penang are still under CMCO, it will be difficult for us to enjoy Malaysia popular street food. Instead of going out, now TIGER Beer brings this popular street food right to your home with the TIGER STREET FOOD Virtual Festival which was launched on 6th November 2020 at 11am and will be opened from 11am to 9pm every Friday, Saturday and Sunday until the end of November 2020.
With this TIGER STREET FOOD VIRTUAL FESTIVAL 2020, besides being able to order your favourite street foods from the computer or mobile phone, you will also be in for special promotion for TIGER Beer as well. the Tiger Street Food Virtual Festival is much more than simply a home delivery service – it recreates the full experience of a food festival in a completely digital world.
TIGER STREET FOOD Virtual Festival 2020 BY TIGER BEER
Weekend Hi-Tea Buffet: With the MCO still in operation, there are not many choices for a buffet at hotels. Recently Pullman Bangsar started its' weekend hi-tea buffet offering with a stringent SOP procedure to enable its guest to enjoy many of its delicious fares.
The Weekend Hi-Tea buffet that Pullman Kuala Lumpur Bangsar offers is a culinary collection experience which is the Penang Street Food & Dim Sum Hi-Tea Buffet, blending the lines between journey and nourishment by combining gastronomic ventures with pacifying stays at the brand’s luxury portfolio of hotels.
Weekend Hi-Tea @ Pullman Bangsar Kuala Lumpur - Penang Street Food And Chinese Dim Sum Hi-Tea
The French are at it again! Malaysia’s highly-anticipated annual French event is back with the 18th edition of LE FRENCH FESTIVAL (LFF). From 4th April to 12th May, LFF is set to whisk Malaysians on an immersive experience of captivating events including French cinema screenings, art exhibitions, music and theatre performances, gastronomy and more.
Since its inception in 2001, LE FRENCH FESTIVAL has progressively evolved as an indomitable bridge of cultural exchange between France and Malaysia while successfully establishing its roots in four major cities, reaching over tens of thousands of spectators: Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Johor Bahru and Kota Kinabalu.
We Malaysian are, in fact, a lucky lot where we can get to experience and taste the finer French culture right here in Malaysia. LFF by French right to your doorstep.
LE FRENCH FESTIVAL 2019 MALAYSIA Launching and Highlights
Our third destination for the SuperStar Libra Cruise is to Penang (Day 4)
Picture Courtesy of Penang Port
The SuperStar Libra reach the Penang Island at 8am and the ship was berthed at Penang Port (Swettenham Pier Cruise Terminal). Strategically located next to the Penang town, there are so many things you can see and do which is within walking distance or you can call a car sharing apps like Grab and Uber to send you to some of the other attraction Penang has to offer; like Penang Hill, Snake Temple or the Batu Ferringhi Beach.
But if you are on a budget, you can see also see part of Penang without spending a dime; seriously. You just take a short walk to the Feri Terminal Bus Station where you can board the Penang CAT FREE Shuttle Bus.
The Hop OnFree Central Area Transit (CAT) ply the route between Weld Quay Jetty and Komtar on a 15-minute intervals from 6 am-12 midnight. See the above map for reference of its point.
Exploring the grounds of the UNESCO World Heritage City has never been this convenient with the 19 CAT stops in between all the famous heritage landmarks of Penang! You can climb onboard the CAT bus and explore all the wonderful heritage sites of Penang. You can take a tour of the Queen Victoria Memorial Clock Tower, Fort Cornwallis, Penang War Memorial, City Hall, Penang Supreme Court Building, Cathedral of the Assumption, Penang State Museum, Goddess of Mercy Temple, The Pinang Peranakan Mansion, Church Street Pier, Mahamariamman Temple, Khoo Kongsi, Cheong Fatt Sze Mansion, Francis Light's grave and many more heritage sites!
Since i have been to Penang many times over, site seeing is not in my list this round. Before boarding the Penang CAT Free Shuttle Bus, we decided to pay a visit to the popular tourist attraction of Chew Jetty. The Chew Jetty is just a minute walks from the Feri Terminal Bus Station.
One of the unique features about Chew Jetty is the entire village is built on stilts above the sea; so you won't be surprised to see the sea below your feet when the tide is up.
At this village, you can see some of the houses have been converted to commercial outlet; selling from souvenirs item to food and etc.
One of the popular food here at Chew Jetty; is the Big Bowl Noodle.
Our first stop of the FREE CAT Shuttle is at Komtar. For anyone going to Penang, you can;t missed out on tasting some of the popular Penang street food. This round I will taste out a few famous fare; starting with the famed Char Kway Teow, the signature Nasi Kandar and the famous Penang Cendol.
For this trip, since I am moving around the Penang CAT Free Shuttle Bus route, I decided to taste out some of these famous eateries within walking distance of each of these stop along the route. My first pit stop is at Lorong Selamat (less than a 10-minute walk from the Komtar bus stop) which is famed for the Penang style Char Kway Teow. For direction, view the map below.
Laden with fried pork lard, it makes the noodle with an extra punch. Here the Char Kway Teow is cooked with Chinese Sausage, Cockles and Prawns. Other Penang favourite dishes that are served at this coffee shop includes the Loh Bak, Sotong Kang Kong, Fried Oyster and more.
After the meal, we decided to stroll around the Komtar area where there is an attraction called The TOP @Komtar. There is much attraction here that you can do like the Rainbow Sky-Walk, 7D Discovery Motion Theatre and more.
After the short visit at Komtar, I decided to quench my thirst with a cendol drink from the Penang Road Famous Cendol. It is just a short walk from Komtar. For direction, view the map below.
This place is packed and there is a queue lining by the cart with a lot of tourist for this famed cendol, but don;t be fooled as there are a number of shops carrying the same name; so it is best to see our photo for the right one.
Price RM2.90. You can also try out the other Penang food at this coffee-shop Assam Laksa, Fried Oyster, Popiah and Char Kway Teow too.
As I was walking to my next food destination; I pass by the Pasar Chow Rasta. You can easily buy a few of the popular Penang snack from here.
This market is also very popular for its preserved fruits.
Since I am doing a walking tour and would like to taste out another famous Penang dish, I decided to try the Line Clear Nasi Kandar as it is within walking distance from the Penang Komtar and also have a bus stop for the Penang CAT Free Shuttle bus service to take me back to the port. For direction, view the map below.
Line Clear Nasi Kandar is one of the earliest Nasi Kandar vendors in Penang. Again, don't be fooled by the signboard as there is 2 shop with the same name. The original one is in the lane beside the shop; you should not missed it as there is a queue lining there.
You can choose your favourite dishes like fried chicken, beef, squid, prawns and the famed fish head curry.
As I am on my own, calling a fish head is too much for one person, so I decided for an order of squid, beef and vegetables with a combination of curry sauces (RM17.10). This mixture is what makes the Nasi Kandar unique; as the multitude of flavours from each of the curries is intertwined with each other.
For those that love cafe hopping; can try out this 2 popular cafe; the first of which is the Awesome Canteen which has a rustic charming interior of the olden days shop house which is in 1950's era; which serves cakes, coffee and cafe food.
or you can walk across the street to the China House - Penang Longest Cafe.
serving artisan coffee and an array of cakes and dessert that makes a sweet tooth drool.
Why this is Penang Longest Cafe: You can take a walk of more than 2 minutes from front to end. In between there are many seating areas for you to spend time in each which its unique charm. This is my last pit-stop as it was time to head back to the ship.
SuperStar Libra operated by Star Cruises has just launched a 5 Day 4 Night Cruise Port Klang - Langkawi - Phuket - Penang - Port Klang at RM899.00+. For more information and ongoing promotion, please visit Star Cruise Malaysia Facebook Page or Star Cruise Website
The cruise starts off with the boarding of the SuperStar Libra at the Boustead Cruise Centre in Port Klang.
What makes a cruise holiday different from other holidays is that it is more relaxing and are perfect for those that live a hectic and stressful work life. For me, it was quite some time we went for a cruise holiday. So, come along with us as to how we will be spending our 5 days of holiday on board SuperStar Libra.
For me; there is actually 3 option for this cruise holiday when you are on board; the first is to really do nothing but to enjoy every moment on board like eat, sleep and relax. There is no compulsory itinerary for you to stick to; unlike on other tours where there is a fixed time for you get up, go here and so forth. You can just decide not to do anything at all and just laze around; enjoying the full facilities and hospitality the SuperStar Libra has to offer.
But for me, one of the activities that I enjoyed most was the soft sea breeze on the top deck while the ship is cruising especially in the early morning and at the same time admiring the undivided attention of the sunrise across the horizon that relieve all the stress of city living.
The second option is to join all the other activities that are planned on board that is happening every day or in fact every hour. Each morning, you will be sent the Star Navigator to your cabin; which highlights all the activities happening on that day. There are almost some activities for everyone; from kids to adult and for me the second most activities that I enjoyed most is to chill out at the Crystal Court where live soft music performance is serenaded.
While for some you can also join in for some fun and try your luck at a game of Bingo.
The facilities on board SuperStar Libra are aplenty, which includes a child care centre, beauty salon, spa services and medical centre.
There are a number of the duty-free shop on board for you to shop for perfumes, watches and jewellery too.
While for the more athletic, can choose to jogs around the ship, play some basketball, table tennis, practise some golf driving skills and/or take a leisurely swim in the swimming pool on the top deck.
As for me, after each off board shore excursion; my every day not to be missed activities is the warm water jacuzzi to rejuvenate my tired feet and soul from the excursion.
Frankly speaking, there are so many things that you can do on board the SuperStar Libra that will occupy your time if you choose this option to enjoy your holiday.
Food and Beverage
When it comes to food, you will never go hungry on board the SuperStar Libra. With a daily 5 meals on board and 8 food and beverage outlet to choose from (do check out the Star Navigator); you will be spoilt for choices, which range from buffet to ala cart dishes to Halal dishes for the non-Muslim; there is something for everyone.
As there are so many food outlets to eat in, we highlight the special dining dishes that we had while on board the SuperStar Libra starting with the Chinese Cuisine at Ocean Palace (Deck 4 Aft). The dishes which are served is different on a daily basis. You can check out the menu at the restaurant reception before hand.
We had the 7-course dinner and the following is the highlight dish which the first is Braised Abalone With Seasonal Vegetable with Oyster Sauce.
followed by the Stir Fried Prawn With Sambal Paste
Braised Chicken With Potato
and the Steamed Golden Pomfret Teochew Style
We then had a lunch date with the Four Season (Deck 4, Mid) for a Western Meal 4 course meal.
The four-course meal with an option for the soup and the mains, starting with an appetiser which is Prawn and Vegetable Salad With Mayonnaise Tomato Dressing and a soup.
For the main, we had the Tenderloin Steak and finish off with a dessert.
Dinner for Day 3; We were hosted to a Grand Gala Dinner by Captain Christian Gerhard Aalbers.
The Gala Dinner started with an appetizer of California Maki With Pan Sear Maguro in Sesame Dressing.
while the highlight is the Main course which is the Grilled Salmon With Lobster Thermidor in Buttery sauce.
and finish off with Dessert of Rich Dark Chocolate Mousse
Next; we had the opportunity to taste the Malay Cuisine at Spices Restaurant (Deck 10 Aft).
The Spices Restaurant is Halal certified. For this restaurant, the preference is for Muslim guests. A prior arrangement has to be made on your booking of the cruise for Halal food. Another restaurant with the Halal certification is the Blue Lagoon Restaurant (Deck 10 Aft) which is opened 24 hours daily.
For this meal at the Spices, we were served an ala-carte dinner which comprises of more than 7 different dishes but the highlight for all of us is the Udang Sambal Petai; so much so we have to order another dish.
followed by the slightly sweet taste of the beef dish which is Daging Masak Kayu Manis.
and lastly, the spices infused Ayam Masak Merah that goes perfectly with a bowl of steaming white rice.
For desserts, we were served a bountiful local and imported mixed fruit platter.
Finally, if you are one of those that loves buffet; you can enjoy all the spread from Mariner Buffet (Deck 9 Aft). Here are some of the highlight buffet spread
BBQ Seafood - Grilled Pawns
Sadly for us, there were just too many food and beverage outlet, that we had not had the stomach to try each and every one of them.
Entertainment
As part of the daily highlight are the International show performance happening nightly at the Stardust Lounge (Deck 5 Fwd).
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or you might want to belt out a number or 2 at the KTV lounge at Deck 10 Aft.
or choose to enjoy the soft music live performance at the Crystal Court (Deck 4 Mid).
Shore Excursion
The third option is to enjoy all the shore excursion in Langkawi, Phuket and Penang. There are many choices of excursion for each destination. You can book them at the Shore Excursion Counter at (Deck 4 Mid) or choose to go on your own (more of this later).
