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Wei Seng Chicken Rice and double boiled Cantonese soup

Wei Seng Chicken Rice is a chicken rice shop located at Tabuan Jaya at the food court beside Choice Daily. It also boasts a repertoire of double boiled Cantonese soups in a heating element beside it which the proprietors actively promote.

The double boiled Cantonese soups (broth) is held in traditional deep ceramic bowls and kept warm in a similar contraption to the double boiling method used to boil the soups. I was told that the soups have been prepared for as long as 24 hours for an authentic slow-boiling Cantonese soup. They have a lot of different soups on offer, ranging from Bitter Gourd soup to Ginseng Chicken soup.

I had their chicken rice (shared) with 3 other people and their chicken rice is alright, though not as good as other places like Suan. The rice portion is small, but cheap (a plate of chicken rice costs just RM 0.60, an unheard of price nowadays). The chicken rice itself is good, it's seasoned well with chicken essence, but the chicken is nothing to write home about.

Their double boiled Ginseng Chicken soup (RM 3) tasted good though. It has visible strands of ginseng floating inside and the broth is fairly clear (as all good broth should be). There are several chicken pieces inside and this place seems to subscribe to the less-is-more school of thought as the soup only contains ginseng and chicken.

The Ginseng Chicken soup is a nice complement to the chicken rice - I ended up having two plates of rice. The ingredients in the soup are tender, with an almost melt-in-your-mouth texture to the ginseng. I would recommend this place for their RM 3 double boiled soups as it is hard to come by outside restaurants here. It's best to go early as the soup seems to sell out really fast.

Posted in Local food by Huai Bin at 09:46 AM Permalink | Comments (24) | TrackBack

Razor wire

Razor wire is a variant of the ubiquitous barbed wire meant to ensnare humans instead of animals. Normal barbed wires have spikes on them and don't really do much to prevent trespassing.

Razor wire is a mesh of wire with sharp metal strips instead of sharp points and is designed to cause serious cuts to anyone it snares. It's easy to differentiate razor wire from barbed wire from the aggressive profile in the former. It is particularly nasty when it's on the ground on the other side of the fence...

Do not attempt to land on razor wire.

Posted in by Huai Bin at 09:01 PM Permalink | Comments (22) | TrackBack

SugarBun's "Happy Meal" @ RM 7.88

SugarBun has come out with their very own Happy Meal (though this one doesn't come with a toy or collectible, but legal liabilities from McDonald's) priced at RM 7.88. I noticed the banner at the SugarBun outlet in Kenyalang, Kuching and decided to check out SugarBun's implementation of the Happy Meal (TM McDonald's).

The "Happy Meal" consists of:
2 pieces Broasted Chicken
1 Savory Rice (TM SugarBun)
1 Fresh Pickies (I believe they meant pickles, and "fresh pickles" is an oxymoron)
1 Soft Drink (12 oz.)
...and the font and coloring is remarkably similar to McDonald's Happy Meal. Trademark infringement kinda similar.

Behold! The SugarBun Happy Meal!

Behold! ...a closer look at the SugarBun Happy Meal. I honestly don't know why they would want to name this a Happy Meal and risk litigation when it's just a combo meal.

It does come with a toy though...kinda. You have to insert 20 cent coins to play with the toy though, and you can't take it home with you.

SugarBun - i'm lovin' it. ;)

Posted in Fast Food Inc. by Huai Bin at 04:14 PM Permalink | Comments (29) | TrackBack

Happy Birthday Irene Chan Ai Ling! =D

Okay, this is a rather belated post - Irene had her birthday on the 25th of March and I got fucked up that night and also Sunday night so I didn't post until today. I was working OT that Saturday (crunch time for a project) so we just met up for drinks at Luconia.

I got Irene something very cheesy for her birthday. It was funny, at least with my increasingly demented sense of humor. There were three things inside, two of them I told her she could probably guess (which she did, it was plywood ;)) but she didn't get the third one coz it's just too cheesy.

This is me, Irene and David. I think we were pretty much fucked up by that time...at least I was. Hell, I've been fucked up since 7 pm. :)

Happy Birthday Irene Chan Ai Ling [blogspot.com] ! Much <3 !

P/S - Aries rulez!!!!1oneone. You're technically legal now, Irene! =D

Posted in People by Huai Bin at 11:15 AM Permalink | Comments (31) | TrackBack

A MapleStory from a Lvl 2X Swordsman

I'm told that MMORPG players act out the deepest instincts suppressed inside the id in-game. I guess that says a lot about me.

I've always wanted to be a lumberjack. Just a simple axe wielding, tree chopping, lumber felling person, just like in the old days. It has been my dream since I was a wee little kid.

People grow up wanting to become a doctor, a lawyer or an engineer. I've always known what I wanted to do when I grow up - chop trees.

Unfortunately, my dad had different plans. Chopping trees cannot earn money, he said. Chop tree people look down on you, he said. Thus, he sent me for an overseas education when I was 15 to quell this "tree chopping fantasies" of mine.

...but I did not waver from my True Purpose (TM) in life. I secretly chopped trees (and sometimes people when trees are scarce) in New Zealand. I started out with small shrubs, and graduated to tree branches.

Alas, I was sent back when the tree chopping shenanigans of mine came to light.

However, I was not to be stopped. I went to Australia to do my college and uni and started chopping trees again. I even bought an axe [sixthseal.com] early on in the blog.

I started my activities with earnest then. I started secretly twisting branches off larger trees and chopping small trees in the middle of the night. I also plucked mushrooms if I needed a quick fix. I was soon graduating to large trees and when I came back to Malaysia to work, I started moonlighting as a tree chopper, venturing into DBKL protected tree plantations to chop trees. FELDA settlements are also a frequent hangout, since I also enjoy chopping palm oil plants occasionally.

I ventured into virgin rainforests when I came to Kuching to chop timber trees with earnest (at night, of course). I even earned a moniker for my actions.

They call me the Mysterious Midnight Tree Massacre.

However, one fine day, I was arrested and thrown into jail for chopping trees. They said I needed a timber permit. My place was raided and all my tree chopping equipment and miscellaneous lumber was confisticated. I was filed with criminal charges of possession of timber without a permit with a court case pending. I was let out on bail several days later, despite the regulation two week minimum remand time on one condition:

I was not to chop trees or speak of it anymore.

Filled with resentment, I started playing MapleStory [maplesea.com] and chopped virtual trees.

(I also chopped real trees sometimes, but don't tell anyone)

There is no Bigfoot. I took a personal trip to Johor a couple of weeks ago and the trees uprooted themselves in sheer terror and started to walk, leaving those huge prints on the ground.

The Mysterious Midnight Tree Massacre LIVES!!!!oneonesixthseal.comveritascastitas.com

Posted in Interesting by Huai Bin at 12:06 PM Permalink | Comments (47) | TrackBack

Commonwealth Games 2006 Kuching, Malaysia

Contestant Wee Sia Lung (Malaysia) attempts the 5 meter water puddle hurdle.

He did not make it.

Posted in by Huai Bin at 05:27 PM Permalink | Comments (15) | TrackBack

Glenfiddich Solera Reserve Single Malt (15 Year Old)

Glenfiddich Solera Reserve 15 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky is one of the product lines of the popular Glenfiddich brand, which is the best-selling single malt Scotch whisky in the world. Glenfiddich is usually associated with the "Special Reserve" 12 Year Old variant and the "Solera Reserve" 15 Year Old single malt is a less common and more premium Scotch whisky from their product line.

The Glenfiddich Solera Reserve 15 Year Old single malt comes in the distinctive Glenfiddich tube box that opens on one end and the unique triangle shaped bottle. The Solera Reserve bottle is amber instead of the green tinted bottle seen in the 12 year old Special Reserve. The differences are not merely cosmetic though, the more mature 15 year old Solera Reserve has more complex notes compared to Glenfiddich 12 year old Special Reserve.

Glenfiddich 15 Year Old Solera Reserve is a Speyside single malt produced from three types of casks - traditional American bourbon, Spanish sherry and new oak. It is mixed in a large Solera vat, made of Oregon pine and the beautifully balanced single malt is left to settle in a small Solera tun before bottling. Interesting...I just grabbed that from the Glenfiddich liner notes. ;)

The Glenfiddich Solera Reserve has a more complex taste compared to the 12 Year Old Special Reserve, with a smoother and deeper flavor that reveals fruit, spice and a touch of oak. It has a long and lingering aftertaste, and is great to drink neat or with some ice. It's a bit of a sacrilege to use mixers in single malt Scotch whiskies. Expect the Glenfiddich Solera Reserve to set you back about RM 400.

Glenfiddich has a wide range of single malt Scotch whisky from Special Reserve 12 Year Old, Solera Reserve 15 Year Old, Ancient Reserve 18 Year Old, Gran Reserva 21 Year Old, to the prestigious Glenfiddich 30 year old. I highly recommend the Solera Reserve 15 Year Old for the best price/performance ratio. :)

Posted in Ethanol and tobacco by Huai Bin at 02:04 PM Permalink | Comments (17) | TrackBack

The first documented instance of Internet slang making its way to SMS text

The first documented instances of the use of medium (or rather, carrier) related linguistics are usually quite inane, as is this first instance of Internet slang semantics spilling over to SMS (Short Message Service) text in cellular phones. Just like the first electric telegram sent "What hath God wrought!" using Morse code and the earliest smoke signal transmitted the message "Ogg like meat better after pig throw in fire", the first Internet to SMS message (Net2SMS) went:

DF-118
w00t!!!!11oneone8

Posted in Hmm... by Huai Bin at 09:13 AM Permalink | Comments (21) | TrackBack

Golden Arch Garden Laksa review

Golden Arch Garden Laksa (not to be confused with the Golden Arches, which sells a totally different food product) is located at Golden Arch Shopping Mall and I heard its laksa is serious fucking business.

Golden Arch Garden Laksa has RM 3/4/5 bowls of laksa and the RM 5 bowl, which is their flagship, has two large tiger prawns in it. The laksa booth is also the flagship of the eating establishment - it belongs to the owner.

There is a huge tray of differing sizes of prawns, which is selected depending on your order e.g. an RM 3 bowl of laksa would have small prawns while the RM 5 bowl of laksa would have two huge tiger prawns.

Behold! The legendary Golden Arch Garden Laksa. This is the large (RM 5) bowl and contains 2 huge tiger prawns in it.

I'm told that the proper method to partake in tiger prawn infused laksa is to pour the laksa soup down the head of the tiger prawn to allow the flavors to really shine.

Laksa - Serious Fucking Business.

Posted in Local food by Huai Bin at 01:30 PM Permalink | Comments (35) | TrackBack

The bird nesting outside my window - Season II (Mating Season)

There is a bird nesting outside my window again. I know it's nesting coz it's been sitting there on top of its eggs for several days now. It did gave me a look of alarm (at least, that's what I think a bird would like when alarmed) when I stepped up and took a photo of it behind the screen.

This bird has been making me sick (not figuratively, literally!) since it's perching on top of where I sleep. I received a lot of flak when I removed its nest (though in all likelihood it's not the same bird, just the same species) in Season I [sixthseal.com] but I wonder, given the H5N1 avian flu and all that, would I receive the same barrage of disapproval this time?

Hmm...

Posted in by Huai Bin at 01:06 PM Permalink | Comments (21) | TrackBack

Breakfast of Champions - Char Kueh Tiaw

Char Kueh Tiaw is a local fried flat noodle dish that is my preferred meal to start off the day. I usually eat this for breakfast (with an extra fried egg on top) and I've found that it's the best option for breakfast as it can sustain you enough to skip lunch if you're busy. I have experimented with various different meals for breakfast and I eat out so breakfast options are usually limited to nasi lemak, kolok mee, fried noodles or kaya and toast.

Thus, I usually eat Char Kueh Tiaw even though I would prefer muesli and milk (but I don't cook over here, or have a fridge and pantry for that matter).

What do you usually eat for breakfast?

Posted in Local food by Huai Bin at 09:45 AM Permalink | Comments (59) | TrackBack

FF Tom Yam Shrimp instant noodles in a plastic bowl

FF Tom Yam Shrimp flavored instant noodles is a product of Thailand. The unique packaging displayed on the shelves caught my attention since it doesn't come in the disposable Styrofoam containers that ramen usually comes in, but a solid boxy plastic container.

FF Tom Yam Shrimp flavored instant noodles retails for RM 2.80 each and the container can be best described as a solid plastic bowl with rounded edges. It looks more like a box than a bowl and the entire package is sealed. The raised round bowl type protrusion on both sides of the ramen box serves the same purpose as a bowl - to provide stability.

The disposable plastic bowl of FF Tom Yam Shrimp instant noodles opens up to reveal individually wrapped packets of noodles, freeze dried vegetables, a small sachet of oil and a foil sealed pack of Mei Mei flavoring. It also comes with a fork which is a Good Thing (TM). I have much love for manufacturers of ramen who bothers to include a fork inside the pack.

This is what it looks like after I opened up the noodles and poured in the powdered flavor sachet, the freeze dried vegetables and the small packet of oil. I had it for breakfast today since we have hot water at our office and I chanced upon this box of instant noodles which I brought to the office and forgot all about. The use by date is 2007 so I reckon it's still alright, even though it's been there for months.

I filled up the plastic bowl with hot water from the water cooler (yes, water coolers dispense hot water as well) to the indicated line and closed the lid to wait out the designated 3 minute waiting time for it to simmer the way instant noodles does best with the enclosed package holding in the steam from the hot water.

I found that the solid plastic bowl design makes it cook faster since the lid is heavy and thoroughly enclosed the bowl compared to the more common Styrofoam containers with a foil lid which is resealed. The resealing process in the standard Styrofoam type instant noodles compromises the structural integrity and a weight is usually necessary to ensure that steam does not escape.

The FF Tom Yam Shrimp instant noodles design with the "total enclosure" plastic bowl lid is heavy enough to prevent heat and steam from escaping...providing you with a more evenly cooked instant noodle which tastes delicious!

...and did I mention that I love a disposable plastic fork in my noodles?

Posted in Food by Huai Bin at 09:51 AM Permalink | Comments (28) | TrackBack

Marlboro Limited Edition Zippo style pack

Marlboro came out with a Limited Edition Zippo style pack for all three of their product lines - Marlboro, Marlboro Menthol and Marlboro Lights. It comes in a sleek silver pack instead of the usual flip-top box, and it opens like a Zippo. The packs have a minimalist yet elegant design with mostly silver tints with the Marlboro logo and the words "Special Edition".

I managed to snag a couple of packs of the Marlboro and Marlboro Menthol packs when I was in KL. The places I went to all ran out of the limited edition Zippo style Marlboro Lights packs. I figured I would complete the collection in Sarawak, but alas, weeks have passed and there's no sign of the limited edition Zippo style packs here. It seems that the product test market is in KL.

This is the front of the Marlboro Special Edition pack - it is dominated by silver with gradients into monotone at the side encasing the letter "M". The top part of the box has the Marlboro logo on it (without the text) and is color coded e.g. Marlboro has a red imprint, Marlboro Menthol has a green one and Marlboro Lights is embossed with a yellow logo. It is all done very elegantly, sleek is the word of the day here...

However, the most interesting thing about the Marlboro Special Edition packs is the opening mechanism. It opens up like a Zippo (the lighter) to reveal two separate foil wrappers enfolding 10 cigarettes each. This preserves the freshness of the cigarette as it can be opened separately. The other noteworthy bit is the sealing mechanism - there is an indentation at the side (squint to see detail) which the semi-circle on the top of the pack goes into to "lock" the pack.

The Marlboro Special Edition Zippo style pack is a great branding experiment in marketing Marlboro as an ultra premium cigarette. The design is impeccable and the elegant color scheme and features makes this one of the best Marlboro limited edition packs to come out in recent memory. Philip Morris moves away from the traditional "Marlboro Man" style design and did a total facelift to repackage Marlboro as an elegant and sleek cigarette.

Posted in Ethanol and tobacco by Huai Bin at 10:45 AM Permalink | Comments (33) | TrackBack

Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf ice blended drinks promotion

Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf is having a promotion on their summer themed ice blended drinks. I went there for a drink and noticed that there were three summer drinks being promoted.

Malibu Dream Ice Blended and Berry'd Treasure Ice Blended is going for 20% off - retailing at RM 9.20 instead of the usual RM 11.50 for a regular sized order.

The other summer drink - the Banana Caramel Ice Blended comes with a free muffin of your choice.

I ordered a Banana Caramel Ice Blended drink and a warmed banana muffin (double the bananas, double the fun ;)).

The Banana Caramel Ice Blended drink is great - all of their summer lineup is great if you like your ice blended drinks thick, creamy and full of sugary goodness. :)

Posted in Fast Food Inc. by Huai Bin at 11:56 PM Permalink | Comments (20) | TrackBack

sixthseal.com Hot 4D picks for Saturday draw

I just had a revelation about what 4D number is going to come out tonight so I went to all three different 4D outlets - Magnum 4D, Sports Toto and Special Cash Sweep and bought the number 1118.

It's going to come out tonight - go get it while you can!

1118.

Limpeh never wrong one! ;)

Fever dreams, if you will...

Posted in by Huai Bin at 03:23 PM Permalink | Comments (27) | TrackBack

Kaya & Toast - House of Coffee and Toast

Kaya & Toast is a relatively new concept eating establishment that specializes in kaya toast - the breakfast staple served in Malaysian coffee shops since time immemorial. Kaya & Toast - House of Coffee and Toast brings this simple but satisfying old skool menu item back with a vengeance. I went there for tea just now. Kaya & Toast is open from 7 am to 7 pm.

Kaya & Toast did an advertising blitz around my office area with glossy full color flyers depicting nostalgic images of kaya toast with soft boiled eggs and coffee. It is reproduced in the eating establishment in a larger than life wall printing. The text goes "Old time favorite. Remember those were the days... The scent of a freshly brewed cup of coffee and a heavenly slice of toast with kaya."

The place has an outdoor seating area with square tables and square chairs (love the symmetry) as well as a well ventilated indoor seating area with ceiling fans. It reproduces the charm of an old coffee shop and relates it to the newer generation of people. Kaya & Toast is a self-service establishment and serves a small, but intriguing menu of toast related products ranging from the established kaya toast (also known as roti kahwin) to the unorthodox curry toast.

I went for the full monty and ordered one set of kaya toast (RM 1.70), one set of soft boiled eggs (RM 1.50) and kopi-o (RM 0.80). The soft boiled eggs comes in twos and is pre-cracked for your convenience. The coffee they make is good, and they also serve Italian brews. The highlight of the meal would be the two slices of home made bread toasted to crispy perfection and slathered with rich creamy home made kaya (a coconut based paste).

The kaya toast was buttered with an unusual method - the butter is sliced into thin mini-slabs and embedded at appropriate intervals in the kaya toast and left to melt. The kaya toast here is great! It came out nicely crispy and the kaya is sweet and creamy, with the butter providing that delicious aftertaste that just begs you to take one more bite. This is a serious fucking piece of kaya toast, no shit.

I also couldn't resist going for the Milo Dinosaur (RM 1.90) which is a recent concoction involving an iced Milo drink topped with generous heaps of Milo powder. It's alright, but go for the kaya toast too. It's a must-try item...this place has truly earned their right to the name with that product.

The proper method to eat kaya toast is to dip it into the soft boiled egg, just like egg soldiers. :)

Posted in Food reviews by Huai Bin at 05:57 PM Permalink | Comments (58) | TrackBack

The first public toilet in Sibu

This is the first pubic toilet (Freudian slip intentional, which doesn't make it a slip anymore does it?) in Sibu. It's called a Public Latrine - an archaic term that probably predates the water closet (WC).

Posted in Sibu by Huai Bin at 04:27 PM Permalink | Comments (20) | TrackBack

KFC Colonel Rice Combo

KFC recently launched their latest product, the Colonel Rice Combo. I saw the advertisements in the papers and went to check it out at the KFC outlet in Sibu before I came back.

KFC Colonel Rice banners were interspaced with their other new product, the Fish Burger. I like the design on the Colonel Rice banners - it's simple and neat.

The KFC outlet had a booth dedicated to promoting the new Colonel Rice. The booth is decorated according to the Padi (Paddy) Harvest theme, complete with costumes from the KFC staff.

There are rice harvest paraphernalia and contest forms at the Colonel Rice booth inside KFC. KFC is having a contest to commemorate the launching of the Colonel Rice with the staff going around to people ordering the dish and asking them to fill in the forms.

This is a traditional rice farmer's hat (inverted). The Colonel Rice Combo contest is open for everyone who orders the meal and the main prize is a trip for two to Hong Kong Disneyland.

KFC went all out to decorate the booth with rice related products. These are actually real paddy (rice plant) stalks. I like the ambience but I think it should be spaced further from the Fish Burger promotion so more space can be dedicated to this.

This is the Colonel Rice Combo (RM 6.99) which contains the Colonel Rice, a side of KFC coleslaw, and two pieces of chicken. I had a drumstick and a piece of thigh. There is an option for Original Recipe chicken or Hot & Spicy and the Colonel Rice can also be ordered separately for RM 1.80 or RM 1.30 with any chicken product purchase.

The Colonel Rice is "a blend of high quality fragrant rice mixed with KFC special aromatic spices and selected sweet raisins" topped with KFC's original gravy. It never looks as good as the printed media would lead you to believe...

KFC's Colonel Rice is the perfect complement to their flagship chicken product in a predominantly rice consuming country. It's a great idea, with one problem...

...SugarBun has successfully implemented it years before KFC with their Savory Rice. There goes "original". ;)

Note: sixthseal.com owns shares in SugarBun Corporation Berhad.

Posted in Fast Food Inc. by Huai Bin at 09:41 AM Permalink | Comments (27) | TrackBack

"Look at your 11 O'clock"

I took a flight back to Sibu on 2:20 pm on Saturday afternoon and just got into the departure lounge when I received a phone call from Joanna [sixthseal.com]. I picked up my cell and she asked me to look at my 11 o' clock. She was sitting right opposite me at the other side of the lounge and her flight was boarding to KL.

We haven't seen each other for quite a while so we decided a trip to the toilet (to powder our noses, I'm vain too, ya know ;)) was in order. We had to rush to the toilet before her flight departs and after...er, catching up on things, rushed back just in time to board her flight. It was such a rush, in every sense of the word. ;)

I was sitting there (my flight departs 20 minutes later) watching the on-going construction and seeing the light radiate heat waves and I remember thinking something along the lines of light being the foundation of civilization.

It was a Fokker 50 flight and I remember looking out the plane and thinking about snorting clouds (sure beats snorting kittens).

...and even snorting rivers.

It totally gave new meaning to the term flying high. ;)

It was great meeting you again Joanne, as always. It's always a pleasure to meet you. Heh!

P/S - I'll be flying back to Kuching 7:25 am tomorrow morning. sixthseal.com was down for the most of last night and today, my apologies about that. It was a hard disk issue - the commenting system was down as well, but everything is sorted now. Cheers!

Posted in by Huai Bin at 10:47 PM Permalink | Comments (28) | TrackBack

Petrol increase by 30 cents, I can buy six Hacks sweets with that!

Damn it, petrol prices have gone up by a staggering 30 cents per liter. I can buy 6 Hacks sweets with that!

Quote totally plagiarized from Mandy [velverse.com], one of my ex-colleagues in XM Malaysia coz I find it damn funny. ;)

Posted in by Huai Bin at 12:49 PM Permalink | Comments (15) | TrackBack

Homemade spaghetti at the office

I got breakfast free today thanks to Penny, our admin assistant. She brought (still warm!) spaghetti that she made at home to work today.

She even had the hindsight to bring along a disposable fork. ;) The spaghetti filled the entire container and is topped off with a sauce containing a mixture of beef, carrots, onions and mushrooms all diced up finely.

It tastes great - the pasta was cooked al dente and best of all it was still warm. The portion is a bit huge though...nearly sent me into a post-breakfast coma. ;)

System ready for shutdown...

Posted in by Huai Bin at 08:06 AM Permalink | Comments (15) | TrackBack

Balance the coin on the lemon!

Luconia has this jar on the bar with a floating lemon inside a color tinted liquid. The liquid is changed daily so there's a different color every time.

The game is to balance a coin on the lemon for at least 3 seconds without touching the lemon or using prohibited methods like superglue (someone tried - it didn't work coz the lemon was wet).

It's practically impossible to achieve due to the curvature of the lemon though apparently it is scientifically possible. You win a bottle of liquor of your choice or a jug of beer (depending on your preference) if you can manage to balance a coin on the lemon for more than 3 seconds.

It's basically a glorified tipping jar, but it looks great on the bar. ;)

Posted in Interesting by Huai Bin at 10:32 AM Permalink | Comments (17) | TrackBack