Dinner just for the holidays

Thursday was an interesting day because I had two things going on on the same day: visit from some Kuala Lumpur friends and a dinner appointment with some chef friends later in the evening. Well, after some juggle with the menu and some tourist guiding, everything got ironed out well and dinner 'rolled' as planned. Here's a peek at the menu...

 The table was set later in the afternoon in a jiffy. Added the mats and side plates later...

 First course (after some tasting of my Asam Heh), foie gras two ways: a crème brûlée of foie gras and a prepared bloc de foie gras (bought them from France, it's easier), cherry confit and toast.

 Serrano ham on a bed of musk melon, fleur de sel and a drizzle of olive oil.

 Spiny lobster bisque served with a portion of the tail...

 Pan fried salmon bloc with truffle-infused potato mash and salad of pea shoots and mesclun, served with beurre monté flavoured with cilantro ...

Comte cheese wedges on a bed of carrot salad with curry vinaigrette and purée of golden raisins and steamed carrots.

And dessert was tiramisu, my old faithful easy to handle faire...

Lata Berumbun revisited

Lata Berumbun sits on the ledge of the Benom Range, perched at around 1900 feet above sea level and is perhaps the most spectacular cascade in Raub. The journey up to this pristine jewel is no easy task either as my friends soon find out on their first trip here (mine was my third)...the modified jeep that took us up the 10 KM route was incredibly resistant to abuses as we has an impression of being trapped in a horrendous roller coaster ride that offers no pause from adrenaline rush - or the driver must be one of the most experienced off-road driver in town: it was like being on a perpetual roll and bump over rocky boulders, mud trenches and streams in succession that even walking might pose problems...my hands were too engaged to be able to take any photo of the trip! 

What the ride ends in...this cascading jewel in an opening of the forest canopy.

 in the shades of the forest...

the morning sunburst through a thin mist...

 On the upper reaches of the cascades. Lata Berumbun is a series of endless falls and cascades and pools along the slopes of the Benom Range. We didn't explore the second pool from the main entrance as my friend was too "tired" from the experience. We did however, had the fortune of tumbling upon a lone wild boar along the track on the drive up and it was an unforgettable experience: the boar, startled by the noisy engine of the jeep, ran along the mud track but was unable to neither ran down the slope nor up the banks. The poor animal ran for a good 300 metres or so before finding refuge in a bush, chased by the noisy jeep right behind!

a quiet pool

mossy boulders

 a lichen-encrusted fallen log

 spectacular large trumpet-like flowers in the shades

interesting young leaves of a plant

 a view of the Klau Valley from the opening in the hills

What we left behind...

Our jeep driver also manage weekend escapades to the cascades with sightseeing (meals and camping equipments inclusive of a travelling cook in situ) for a fee. 

His number: +06 019 963 53 83 0r +06 013 986 53 83 (Mr. Low Poh)

Lethargic in Paris on a Saturday afternoon

I had half a day for my stopover at Paris before my flight on Sunday morning so I booked myself into the Mercure beside Gare de Lyon for the night. The room was clean and comfortable with a good bed but bit tight (so are all rooms in Paris less you have big bucks). I was aching all over from lugging my overweight luggage (paid a fine of 60 euro for that to Etihad!) up and down the second level of the TGV and absolutely sweating from the effort. After a rest, I decided to go for a walk in town - bought a full day Metro ticket for 6.40 euro (the last time in 2008 was 5 euro) and off I went into the underground Parisian labyrinth called the Metro.

As I was rather clueless and planless (except with some orders to buy fridge magnets), I somehow ended up in Champs Elysées. Well, I decided then to take a long, nice lunch (but not too expensive) and so I ended up at Chez Clement just next to Lancel...spent the rest of the afternoon browsing and window shopping aimlessly and I managed even to look up the Eiffel tower from Trocadero...

Here's a pictorial...

 The Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama immortalised in wax on Vuitton's display window.

 Fresh oysters for starters...

and some bourgogne snails in herb butter

grilled rack of lamb on vegetable Tian

 performing artist on the kerb

 the stairwell at Guerlain, a classified monument (Guerlain is one of the oldest perfume house)

 concept cars on display at Citroën

 view from Trocadero

 window display at rue St. Honore

 the Madeleine

 Hermes's saddle shop at George V

Went back to Chez Clement because the nearby Fouquet's refused me a place - I don't have reservation but so were the couple before me whom are French (they thought I was some stupid tourist who doesn't understand French). The fact was that it was already 8 pm and the freaking restaurant was bloody empty. The waitress at the reception counter was neither helpful nor friendly and at a minimum of 80 euro set menu, I find that to be very abusive. They are absolutely on my BAN LIST next visit!!! To add salt to the injury, the restaurant doesn't even have a Michelin star to its menu to boast at knowing that many Michelin starred restaurants do have menu that starts at 80 euros!

the infamous one...on my BAN LIST

back at Chez Clement

 Langoustine for starters

 Interesting decor all over the restaurant.

steak of duck breast with green peppercorn sauce

 Lancel was still open at 9.30 pm!

At Gare de Lyon.