2016 New Zealand Food Connection And Blogger Food Bag Challenge

New Zealand is one of only two countries to export more than half of its total food production and Malaysia is; its 9th largest export market, with trade volumes growing year-on-year. The showcase at the 2016 Food Connection Malaysia is a demonstration of New Zealand’s understanding of the complex international food market and the rapidly growing need to produce safe and quality food in a sustainable and innovative manner.  

“Every day, our more than 2,600 food producers create mouthwatering and nutritious foods to suit every palate in Asia, all in safe, sustainable and pristine conditions,” says Matt Ritchie, New Zealand Trade Commissioner to Malaysia.

“We are honoured to work with like-minded partners here in Malaysia and look forward to bringing even more delicious and high-quality New Zealand food to Malaysian consumers,” says HE Dr. John Subritzky,New Zealand Ambassador/High Commissioner to Malaysia. At the event, patrons can relish some of New Zealand’s best F&B products and meet the companies all without travelling to New Zealand! 

Food Connection is a B2B trade show series, running across Asia by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE). This trade show will give Malaysia’s top food and beverage professionals an opportunity to taste some of New Zealand’s finest food and wines, and meet many of the country’s key producers. New Zealand is a trusted supplier of high quality and safe food to consumers in more than 100 countries. 

What’s new this year at 2016 New Zealand Food Connection : 

Spring Sheep Milk Co.: Luxurious, creamy and healthy NZ sheep milk products including gelato and milk powder suitable for lactose-intolerant individuals.

Pic’s Peanut Butter: The peanut butter brand in New Zealand, with no preservatives, no colouring, no added sugar, just high oleic peanuts.

 

Southern Fresh: 30 years growing experience. New Zealand's leading professional growers and processors of high-quality baby vegetables, salad lines, and herbs - both fresh and processed.

 

Sealord: One of the largest seafood companies in the Southern Hemisphere. And with more than 50 years of fishing experience, farming, processing and marketing operations.

 

Mud House Wines: Two decades and Award winning vineyard.

Arahi Beverages: High-quality halal wine using high-quality wine grapes.

 Emerald Foods: Premium Ice Cream manufacturer based in Auckland since 1985.

Also featured were the best in meat, seafood, beverage and grocery items from the likes of 

Dunningham, Eco Healthy Foods, Emerald Foods Ltd, Fonterra Brands, Giesen Wines, Kapiti Ice Cream, Mudhouse, New Zealand Unlimited SDN BHD, Pure South, Sealord, Shott Beverages, Spring Sheep Milk Co,Talley's, The New Zealand Dessert Company and The Tatua Co-operative Dairy Company.

Best Restaurant To Eat Food Bag Challenge

In conjucntion with this year Food Connection Event, food bloggers were given a special mystery bag which has special ingredients and are to be used to craft out our specialty dishes for this challenge.

In the mystery bag, we had the Greenshell Mussel and the Hake Steak from Talley and the special Lamb Ribs from Pure South

For this challenge, we have decided to cook 2 dishes which the first is the Spicy Aglio Olio Fettuccine with New Zealand Green Shell Mussel.

Ingredient for the Spicy Aglio Olio Fettuccine with New Zealand Green Shell Mussel are:

• 5 pieces of Green Mussel
• 20 strands of fettuccine
• 10 cloves of garlic (finely chopped)
• 2 medium size onions (finely chopped)
• 1 stalk of fresh coriander
• 1 fresh green chilli (julienne)
• 1 fresh red chilli (julienne)
• 1 teaspoon of mixed herbs
• 1/2 cup of water
• salt and pepper to taste

Direction:

1. Boil the fettuccine in a pot of hot water for 7 minutes.
2. Heat the pan and sauteed the garlic, onions and coriander stalk until fragrant.
3. Fry the green mussel and add in water to cook it,
4. Add in fresh julienne red, green chillies and the semi cooked fettuccine.
5. Stir fried it and add the mixed herbs, add salt and pepper to taste.

Spicy Aglio Olio Fettuccine with New Zealand Green Shell Mussel.




and the second dish is the Bacon Wrapped Hake Steak with Bacon Chip Mashed Japanese Sweet Potato.

Ingredient for the Bacon Wrapped Hake Steak with Bacon Chip Mashed Japanese Sweet Potato

• 1 piece of Hake Steak (200g).
• 150 g Japanese Sweet Potato.
• 1 pcs of medium size Potato.
• 4 pcs of streaky pork bacon.
• 1 packet of Hand Cooked Potato Crisps.
• Salt and black pepper to taste.

Direction:

1. Marinate the Hake Steak with salt and black pepper and set aside for 30 minutes.
2. Pan fried 1 piece of the streaky pork bacon until crisp.
3. Cut the bacon strip to chip size and set aside.
4. Steam the potato (skin removed) and the Japanese sweet potato until soft.
5. Mashed the sweet potato and mix it with the bacon chips.
6. Wrapped the Hake Steak with the 3 pieces of pork bacon.
7. Oven roast the Hake Steak at 175 degrees for 10 minutes; Turn over steak and baked for another 10 minutes.
8. Served it on top of the mashed Japanese Sweet Potatoes.

You can check out the #NZFoodConnection or @NZ_Global for more information.

Get Fit, Strong And Healthy With The 21 Day Mission Challenge

Every beginning of the year, many of us will set out our New Year resolution. One of the most popular resolution it to keep fit. As the year progresses, chances of achieving or to start a Fitness Program usually does not materialize. One of the main points of failure is; it takes great effort to start a program and it is even more difficult;  without proper guidance. And to top it up; coming up with a balanced nutrition program that goes with this fitness program is really a great headache.

What if you were told that there is any easier way to keep fit and on top of that; a fitness program specially created by a professional fitness guru that delivers daily to you; which can be done from the comfort of your home and it also comes with the pre-planned balanced nutrition meal crafted by a renowned nutritionist which you can make it in slightly over 10 minutes? Did we get your attention?

Research has shown that it takes 21 days to create a new habit or change an old one for a lifetime. Inspired by this insight, Mission Foods Malaysia, the world's largest flatbread producer and makers of the well-known and love Mission Wraps, has teamed up with Fitness Guru, Dave Nuku and Celebrity Nutritionist, Alexandra Prabaharan to create an exciting yet simple to follow 21-Days Programme called the #21DayMission.

The 21-Day Mission features daily fitness and recipe videos that are sent to subscribers. Subscription is free and can be done easily through the Mission Foods Malaysia Facebook site. Once subscribed, followers are sent links to the videos and meal plans in advance to be able to prepare for their 21-Day Mission, which is set to go live on 9th May 2016.

This initiative from Mission Foods comes at a perfect time as it coincides with World Health Month in April where there is a worldwide interest in leading better, healthier lifestyles. The fact is that Malaysia is now known to be Asia’s most overweight country with 17.7% of the population considered obese according to a national health and morbidity survey conducted in 2015. 

This campaign aims to introduce and educate the general public that leading a healthy, active lifestyle is really quite simple as long as you have the correct meal plan and guidance.

#The21DayMission is a collaboration between Mission Foods Malaysia and fitness guru, Dave Nuku, a certified personal trainer and international presenter on health and fitness issues who was also one of the main trainers on the; The Biggest Loser Asia TV series. He is the co-founder of the hugely popular FIRE STATION gym and has dedicated his life to helping people achieve their goals and transform their lives through achieving a healthier body, mind, and spirit.

For the nutritional part of the program, Alexandra Prabaharan, a renowned nutritionist, has created a delicious meal plan including breakfast, lunch and dinner recipes which complement the fitness regime. All the recipes are designed to be simple to prepare as they use easy-to-find ingredients and deliciously versatile Mission Foods products including Wraps, Pita, Naan and Tortilla Chips.

“This 21-Day initiative solidifies a strategic pillar for the brand, which is to continue driving awareness on the importance of healthy eating and living in the community. With the launch of the 21-Day Mission, we feel we can make a difference in people’s lives by making it easier for them to start this journey and encouraging them to start thinking about eating better, getting fitter and feeling great about themselves,” said Maria Mitropoulos, VP of Marketing, Mission Foods, Asia and Oceania.

Mission Foods Malaysia also recognizes that some of us need a bit more of a push to get started. Mission Foods is giving away the chance to win a fully paid “21-Day Mission pack” to 12 lucky winners where they receive three meals delivered daily and full access to Fire Station, to train with Dave Nuku and his team of trainers. The meals are prepared and delivered according to Alexandra’s recipes by Huios Meal Prep, whose ethos is to provide healthy, freshly-prepared meals. Each pack is worth over RM5,000. Those needing that extra helping hand can look out for the contest running on Mission Foods Malaysia Facebook and Instagram pages and on the Men’s Health and Women’s Health magazines and portals, from April 17 – 30.

Winners will be announced on the first week of May after which they will be able to embark on their journey towards becoming stronger, fitter and healthier.

For more information on #The21DayMission, follow facebook.com/missionfoodsmalaysia or instagram.com/missionfoodsmalaysia

2016 Ramadan Buffet Review : G Tower Hotel Kuala Lumpur - Buka Puasa With Traditional Flavours Of Malaysia

The arrival of the holy month of Ramadan indicates the start of the fasting season. For the year 2016, G Tower Hotel located at 199, Jalan Tun Razak 50400 Kuala Lumpur; the theme for the 2016 Ramadan Buka Puasa is Flavours Of Malaysia.

From 8th June 2016 till 3rd July 2016, G Tower Hotel is featuring an assortment of Buka Puasa menus with a variety of food that will leave diners spoilt for choices. Food ranging from traditional street food to flavourful and contemporary food are perfect to tantalises your taste-bud.



This special Flavours of Malaysia is specially brought to you by the talented Chef Sherry and her team which has an extensive culinary experience in traditional Malaysian cuisine. The team will present a buffet spread that boasts local speciality that offers a wide selection of appetisers, salads,  main course and desserts in four rotating menus for you to sample at the Ramadan Buffet.



Among the highlights will be authentic dishes from East Malaysia, Sarawak which is the Ayam Bakar Dalam Buluh or Manuk Pansuh, a dish often prepared on many celebrations especially on Gawai Dayak festival. This natural cooking method which is to cook the chicken in a bamboo; sealed in the taste and produce an astonishingly tender and juicy meat with a strong aromatic flavour.



The buffet line features a spectacular array of more than 100 must have Buka Puasa dishes with live cooking stations of Malaysian favourites like the Popiah Basah, Roti Jala, Putu Bambu



and Apam Balik.



Not to be missed is the G Tower speciality such as Sup Tulang Rawan, Mee Rebus Istimewa and the much sought after Kambing Bakar Berempah.



The clay-pot hot dishes which is offered on a weekly basis will be the traditional dishes from various states of Malaysia among them are the Ayam Masak Kuzi (Selatan), Gulai Tempoyak Ikan Patin (East)



Daging Goreng Kunyit (Utara)



Sotong Masak Hijau (Sabah)



Pucuk Paku Goreng Belacan (Sabah)



and Sayur Masak Lontong (Selatan) to name but a few.



Not to be missed are those that loves to savour some of the Western Cuisines, there will be an Italian pasta station that will serve ala-minute pasta of the day and freshly baked roll and bread for you to try out.



And to end the Buka Puasa on a sweet note there are the local popular desserts like the Ais Kacang, Leng Chi Kang, and not forgetting the Biskut Tradisional Raya and of course the Kuih Muih Melayu.



According to Chef Sherry, she has the idea of introducing all the various traditional food from 13 states of Malaysia as it will bring back sweet and cherish memories of your hometown while you enjoy these delicious meals at the Buffet.

The Ramadan Buffet Dinner is priced at RM 98 nett for adult and RM49 nett for children and senior citizen. The Buffet will be held at the Mezzanine Floor, G Tower Kuala Lumpur. from 7pm to 10pm. For reservations, please contact G Tower from Monday to Friday between 9.00am to 5.00pm at 03-2168 1919 ext 7018 or email to banquet@gtower.com.my

For more Best Restaurant To Eat Ramadan Review. Click Here

+BestRestaurantToEat wishes all our Muslim Friends and Fans "Selamat Berbuka Puasa"

For Best Restaurant To Eat of Top 10 Ramadan Buffet 2016. Please Click Here

Telco News : Who or What Is Webe? Webe Unlimited Mobile Plan Fake or Real | The Answer is here!

The word WeBe was all abuzz all over the Internet and on all the social media platform. They were a lot of speculations and rumours of this new telecommunication company that will offer a super affordable mobile plan.

i.e. at RM 8 per month for a 20GB 4G LTE plan 

and also for the everything unlimited i.e. Unlimited Data, Unlimited Call, Unlimited SMS plan at RM80.00 per month.

The rumours and market information were pointing towards P1; which is owned by Telekom Malaysia (TM) as the fifth mobile network provider. Some of these netizens went to check the domain name owner and it was pointing to P1 too. All the hype leads to the date 13th April 2016 when we got invited to a special media invitation from P1.

This invitation got us very excited in view of the current fiasco surrounding Maxis which was embroiled in the social media frenzy when the details of a special offer to a Maxis user from East Malaysia who wanted to port out went viral. A lot of frustrated Maxis user wanted to port out after years of paying high prices for the similar plan and the rumours and market talks of the WeBe comes at this time especially for this group of disgruntled group of users was a godsend.

A couple of days before the launch, we had the opportunity to meet with members of the senior management of P1 about this market talks. Our quick conversation revealed some big announcement is coming out and they were very tight-lipped about it.

We went for the event  in anticipation for some great news which will set the tone for a cheaper mobile plan. There were a lot of media presence both from the print media and the digital media at this event.

The much-awaited announcement was made by Mr CC Puan; Chief Executive Officer it was "P1 is history, from today P1 will be known as WeBe". The announcement was for a name change. According to him, we are in the final stage of user testing (for mobile network services) and we will be launching it very soon. So, there was no announcement of any mobile plans. We could see all the disappointed faces around the event halls when this news broke out. 

So, for those of you including myself, the wait saga continues and we hope to get the latest news on the mobile network testing phase and the mobile plan offering of WeBe in the distant future. Stay tuned with us and let us know your comment.

Rumours Data Plan Picture Source: TechNave

Sri Hartamas Food: The Blue Cow Cafe - Baconlicious Meal At A Beef Specialist Shop Plaza Damas

The sheer mention of The Blue Cow Cafe located at N-1-4, Plaza Damas, Jalan Sri Hartamas 1, Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur would spark anyone mind that this shop only sells beef produce. But when we arrive we found out that it also serves pork dishes and for today we are going to be served "Bacon Inspired Dishes"

The Blue Cow Cafe has been around for quite some time now at the Plaza Damas, the concept offers diners and customers; to be able to either buy the produce back (as it is a butcher shop as well) for self-cooking or had it cooked at the cafe if the food in the menu does not fit your taste buds. What is being promised by the restaurant is top quality produce that is made at the premise and on demand.

For me; I personally find the back verandah of the restaurant rather cozy and quite nice to dine in especially in the evening as you can feel the night breeze and enjoy the beautiful view of the Agong Palace which also overlook the KL city skyline. 

The first dish we had for this review is the Bacon Salad (RM15.00); Served with Balsamic dressing; loaded with fresh leafy garden salad, cherry tomatoes, carrot strips and of course topped with crispy Fried Bacon, it was a refreshing start for us.

This is then followed by the Two Eggs Benedict With Bacon (RM30.00). Loves the way they cooked the Egg Benedict which has a plump feel from the melted cheese and the yolk was smooth and flow out upon slicing it. Perfect with the burger bread which we use to licked up the egg yolk with the soft crisp bite of the bacon coupled with the thin layer of the patty.

To try out some bacon on pasta, we had the Spaghetti Carbonara With Bacon (RM25.00). Cooked with creamy carbonara and cheese with pieces of bacon chips; the sauce was thick and gel up each strand of the spaghetti and mushroom which is then topped with a piece of Fried Bacon.

After that, we had the Bacon Cheese Burger (RM28.00). A very thick beef patties; sandwiched with slices of tomatoes, lettuce, cucumber, bacon and topped with a piece of cheese. The patties were very succulent and have a nice bite texture. Married with the right amount of fats for the patties, it does not have a gamy taste. The burger is served with chilled coleslaw and ala-minute french fries on the side. 

For me, this next dish is one of my favourite cut for steak dishes. I love Rib Eye steak as they tend to have a nice texture i.e. not too chewy and yet with the right amount of fats that makes a steak perfect. This dish is called the Bacon Wrapped Rib Eye (RM65.00). The bacon is wrapped with the rib eye and grilled to medium cook; which is for me the best cooking style for steak, as the steak still has that slight bloody juicy taste while the texture of the meat still succulent.

The last dish for tonight is the Bangers and Bacon Mash (Farmers or Hunter) - RM30.00. We ordered this dish with the black pepper sauce. We like the texture of the Sausage which has a meaty and salty taste which went well with the special mash potatoes that are mixed with fried bacon chips to give you a crisp texture while you are eating the mash potatoes.

For dessert we had the Australian Ice Coffee (RM15.00); it comes with a shot of espresso with vanilla ice cream and topped with white cream. If you like a lighter version of an Affogato then you would like this more creamy and sweeter version.

By the way, for pet lovers, The Blue Cow cafe is a pet-friendly cafe, you can bring your pets in and they also have a pet menu called the WOOF WOOF Menu; which comes with either pork, beef or lamb for you to choose for your pets. So, now you can dine with your pets at The Blue Cow Cafe.

They also have a counter where you can buy produce for your pets too; mind you; they have a peanut butter just for your pets too if you feel to indulge in.

Mutiara Damansara Food: Minori Japanese Restaurant Special Kaiseki Omakase Set

Minori Japanese Restaurant which is located at The Royal Chulan Damansara Hotel 1st Floor No.2 Jalan PJU 7/3 Mutiara Damansara 47810 Petaling Jaya is famed and popular for its various Omakase dishes which offers it's' client a multitude of special exotic ingredients. +BestRestaurant ToEat got to taste the new offering of this season Kaiseki dishes specially crafted by the Great Master Chef Takahiro. You can also read our previous review of another exotic dish which is Cod Fish Sperm from this link.

We started our special "Kaiseki" Omakase meal with an appetizer which is the "Yum Tofu and Grilled Seasonal Eggplant with Crab Sauce, Ginger Flavour, and Mountain Caviar". This appetizer is served chilled and it was a delight to taste the many flavours from the ingredients and condiments. We started off with the soft tofu with crab sauce and move to the Eggplant which when eaten with the salmon roe exudes out a slightly natural salty taste. The Mountain Kaviar  which is used here as the topping is actually a black seed which gotten its name because of the same texture like of the caviar.

Our next course is the soup; what the chef has created was the special Steamed Eggs with Ohitashi Organic Wasabi Leaf and Asari Shell with Yuzu Orange Flavour broth. Normally in Japan the Ohistashi is cooked with Spinach but the Chef uses the Wasabi leaf for this dish. The silky soft steamed eggs are actually Chawanmushi which is topped with a citrusy orange yuzu flavour broth. Paired with the succulent Asari meat; it enhances the full flavour of this soup.

As with any Kaiseki meal, our grill item for the day is the White Miso marinated Butter Fish "Saikyo Yaki". The flaky soft meat texture of the butterfish was grilled to the right char thereby exuding the natural sweetness of the fish. Paired with Vinegar Tomato, Wasabi Lotus Root, and Sweet Potato, it marries a vinaigrette, sweet and mustardy taste of these side dishes to the grilled fish.

After the grilled food, we had the Nimono, which is a simmered dish. For this, the chef has prepared the Tender Beef Tongue With Special Sauce. Normally beef tongue is very chewy and has a rough texture, but the chef; using this method of cooking which is simmering the beef tongue in stock over a period of time until the liquid is fully absorbed into the beef tongue is able to cook the beef tongue until the soft meat like texture.

To finish off our Kaiseki meal, it is a norm to serve a rice based dish; our Shokuji is the Scallop Porridge Minori Style With Fried Cherry Blossom Prawn. The chef uses the combination of dried and fresh scallop to cook this very flavourful porridge. Each spoonful of porridge is filled with the dried scallop and coupled with the sweet flavour of the Blossom Prawn, it was a wonderful end to our meal for today.

For desserts, we had the Warabi Mochi and Green Tea Parfait served in a cocktail glass; lined with cut strawberries and smash adzuki bean and the chewy warabi (jelly-like) mochi at the bottom of the glass.

For sake lovers, you can try out the sake pairing that we had, the first one was the Jumai Daiginjo - a very smooth sake. This is the only Sake in the world that is brewed using the legendary Kikusui Sake rice.



and the Funaguchi Kikusui Nama Genshu which came in a can and has a very flowery and fruity taste. Sake in a Can is renown for its freshness as it does not go thru the normal pasteurization and dilution process. The Sake is can directly from the source and this enables it to maintain its natural aroma and flavour. Best served chilled.