My First Taste of Shutter Therapy

It was yet another Saturday morning in which I battled to get out of bed for an opportunity I certainly did not want to miss. 

Carmen invited me to join her, Robin and Jackie on a photography trip at Pudu Market (yes, of all markets!) in which I was really excited for. Since the photos I've been capturing normally consists of cooked ingredients already incorporated to create a single dish, I thought it would be interesting to do the same but this time with fresh & raw ingredients.  

But first, one needs breakfast. What better way to kick start the morning than with dim sum!

Location: Restoran Tuck Cheong @ Jalan Kancil, Pudu.

Very pleased with this loh mai gai because it doesn't contain the typical Chinese sausage, which I dislike with passion, but rather it has a thin slice of pork. 

Loh mai gai is basically steamed sticky rice with chicken and usually wrapped in lotus leaf. This one is a variation.

After breakfast, while we were making our way to Pudu Market...

"Emily, are you sure you want to wear your sneakers?"

"Oh yeah, they will get dirty and may be hard to clean off!"

"Okay, you definitely need slippers."

... which lead me to ask, "so how dirty is the market?"

"Errrr... you'll see!"

Such a comforting response.

Conclusion: Do NOT wear even decent shoes to Pudu Market. Go cheap flip flops all the way!

Thankfully, a store at the mall nearby just opened and I managed to get a pair of Flippers for RM10.00!

* * * *

Indeed, like most markets, this was nowhere near clean but it was bearable (I've experienced worse). There weren't that many unavoidable puddles and potholes but you need to be careful of where you step - especially when you get close to the meat areas.

Here are some of my shots from the trip! Most of them are edited with the OLYMPUS Viewer 3 which came with my camera - a program I decided to experiment with.

Saw a mother and her baby on the way to the market. Loving the hair!

Chasing light moment.

Smile with your eyes.

Blessed with the morning light.

So the first part of the market comprises fruits and vegetables.

Traffic light peppers, kind of. Clearly, I need a lot of practice with these kind of shots.

I didn't really edit this. The position and light were just in my favour. Definitely caught the shot I wanted!

Marinate with turmeric, salt and pepper, then deep fry away.

There, my RM10.00 slippers. My feet got quite dirty at the end of the trip but better my feet than my sneakers.

Alternatives.

Only one stall selling chicken like this.

Fresh coriander. 

Sigh, those colours.

*insert that title of Taylor Swift's song*

Candid.

More chilies.

The shiny redness caught my attention.

A bit of nostalgia. I used the Art setting (Pinhole style) of my camera.

Two shots of the same girl speaking with her eyes.

The entire trip was a challenge on so many levels. I learnt to be quicker when shooting despite having various items to remember (i.e. focusing, angles, lighting, exposure, moving your camera strap out of the way, watching out for your bag, checking if your precious phone is still in your pocket, etc.). There was much pressure especially from the people who were inconsiderately pushing their way through the crowd, motorcyclists and stall owners chasing you away from blocking their customers.  

Nevertheless, the trip was a great first-experience. I'm definitely looking forward to shooting at more locations like this now that I've discovered love in the colours of the market. 

Do check out Robin's Pudu Market entry where you can find heaps of Photography 101's that can probably save your life. 

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Kedai Makanan Yut Kee, Kuala Lumpur

I was meant to write about this before exams but time did not permit. Though I read on Timeout much earlier that they were set to relocate in early June (yes, I'm slow), I thought it'll be nice to leave a piece of this place on my blog just for keepsake.

* * * *

Located at the corner of Jalan Dang Wangi and Jalan Kamunting, Yut Kee has been a significant part of many KL foodie journeys serving traditional Hainanese cuisine for several years.

My parents and I reached at precisely 7.45 a.m.. By then, tables were already occupied by cyclists who stopped by for their post-cycling session (I thought we were early!).

Kopi peng. Not to miss at every kopitiam trip. Just look at how kao (thick) it is!

Toast with kaya and butter (above) and soft-boiled eggs a.k.a. the dynamic duo.

Steamed bread rather toasted. Still a fan of toasted bread, though!

Roti babi! Wasn't too fantastic...

... and then this made the little difference to its flavour. The table next to mine were told, "you do not eat my roti babi without LP sauce!" by the restaurant auntie.

Hainanese chicken chop which increased by RM1.00 from the last time I saw the menu (RM9.50 now).

I guess the only downside of this trip was that we were served cold food (bread & eggs) which was a major turn off. Other than that, it was great to have experienced dining at one of the oldest coffee shops in Kuala Lumpur one last time before they relocate. 

* * * *

Stay tuned for my Penang trip post! Cheers.

Levain Boulangerie & Pâtisserie @ Kuala Lumpur

Finally, I thought. This place has been on my to-visit list on Foursquare for so many months it can collect virtual dust. 

I was somehow either really lucky (or unlucky) that Crayon Burger, the place I was supposed to grab lunch at, was closed until 4 p.m. earlier today for maintenance. I was really looking forward to trying the burgers to see why that place has been the talk of the town aside from the fact that their burgers are known for their unique variety of colours.

After passing by, the one-way road gave us a little time to think about the next possible place to head to for lunch without going through any massive jams. I thought of my watch list (refer to the sidebar) and realized I have missions to fulfil. I knew that my friend Sam, who was my company for lunch today, really loves the mushroom soup at Levain. He was the one who recommended me to try it out so we decided to go there instead.

Setting

Levain's valet parking area was full of cars at 2 p.m. and there was no sign of any empty lots. Not wanting to give up hope, we went three rounds but ended up parking at another parking area just nearby Coco Tei. That parking fee costs RM5 per entry.

The entrance.

The garden design of the entrance was really welcoming. It wasn't a full house when we stepped inside despite the full car park. I personally like the decorations and the lighting in the bakery. Also, as you enter, you can see complimentary hot and cold water on the right side - which means if you ordered hot tea and wish to get a refill, you have to do it by yourself.

As a whole, the entire bakery has a really beautiful French touch to it. 

Proudly displaying their pastries and cakes. This bakery is known for their stone oven baking method. 

The view from where I was sitting at. This little area is noisy when full because it's enclosed. Sitting outside by the patio is more ideal for a quieter meal time.

Their menu! The stuffs here are generally reasonably priced for a bakery in Kuala Lumpur.

Service

I must comment on this. There are a few pros and cons to it but after summing them up, I have a neutral impression towards their service.

Pros

As we entered, we were greeted with "Welcome to Levain!" which put a smile on my face. The moment we sat down after ordering, Sam's mushroom soup came in less than a minute! My main dish came within the next minute after! I kid you not, dear readers. I have never experienced such a prompt serving time in my life. It was as if they knew I was coming and my entire dish was prepared beforehand then heated up before serving. 

But, no. It was really done from scratch. The other dishes came in no time at all.

On the contrary ...

Cons

The reason why I chose Levain was because I wanted to see what's the fuss about their mushroom soup since there are heaps of comments talking about how amazing it is on Foursquare and also the many times Sam has told me about it before.

So I did, I ordered it. Or at least I thought I did. I only noticed an unfamiliar food in my receipt after the food arrived. Guess what he keyed in instead?

Mushroom Cream Pasta

I was not happy at first. And I was about to correct them but because it is said on fine print that I ordered Mushroom Cream Pasta, I had no other legitimate piece of evidence to back up my case. Regardless, I thought it was a blessing in disguise because my idea as a newbie food blogger is, after all, to try as many things my tummy can hold as possible. Plus, they both have mushrooms and are both creamy. 

Aside from that little miscommunication, some of the workers do not speak fluent English and they are less friendly. They are, however, still fairly attentive. 

What went into our tummies

Their famous creamy mushroom chicken soup [RM6.50]

Sam got his mushroom soup and I managed to steal a spoonful of it. The texture of the soup is so thick and creamy it felt as if I was drinking salted cream. I couldn't really taste much of the mushroom nor chicken flavour. I still liked it, though.

My main dish: Seafood Aglio Olio [RM12.90]

The amount of ingredients on this plate is spectacular. They have pieces of fish, calamari rings, baby tomatoes, two prawns and diced red, yellow and green pepper. The dish is nicely seasoned and the amount of olive oil is just nice. The pasta did not look too dry nor did it seem like it is crying for help drowning in oil. I was told that this is one of their best sellers along with the Chicken Meatball Bolognaise for the "Spaghetti" category of the menu. 

Mushroom Cream Pasta [RM10.30]

This is not the best I've had. Despite the texture of the cream and mushrooms being cooked well, the sauce is not tasty. It is nearly quite bland unless with the help of some salt and a good dash of pepper. I also did not particularly like the chilli by the side. It has lime in it and I thought it does not go well with the dish. Alternatively, if this dish had more cheese on it, it would be just right.

Beef Stew [RM25.00]

Taste wise, I approve. You can see that they are generous with their meat for this dish. The gravy is rich in flavour but I think it's a wee bit too thick. This is just a personal preference but I also would've preferred the baguette toasted a little to add colour and to also give it that crunch when I dig into it. Other than that, I think this dish is a little towards the expensive side of the scale as compared to the other dishes on the menu.

I also had English breakfast tea to accompany my meal and this is the brand that they use. 

We did not order the cakes because we were so full and that they are fairly pricey. A small slice can cost you RM8.00+. 

Also, these were to go so we wouldn't feel so bad leaving the place without having dessert:

(Clockwise from top left) Choco Crunch [RM3.20], White Crunch [RM3.20] and Custard Cream Donut [RM2.80]

I had to eat mine at home because I was way too full to have them dined in.

Choco Crunch: Plain chocolate, charcoal-looking bun with no cream inside. 

Custard Cream Donut: The custard is beautiful!

A couple of tips

Do not place your order the minute you enter. Get the red "OCCUPIED" sign from the counter and look for a table. Put the sign on your desired table and remember your table number before heading to the counter to place your order. They will not entertain you if you do not have a table number. 

If you do not mind the warmth, park yourself outside for a quieter environment and to enjoy the greenery with a good cup of tea maybe.

And also, the mini croissants disappear fast according to Sam. 

Finding your way there

I'm not an expert with roads in Kuala Lumpur but I can tell you if you see the Kuwait Embassy, you are close by. Turn into Jalan Delima before Renoma Café which is siutuated along Jalan Bukit Bintang. Avoid parking by the roadsides unless you wish to get a ticket.

Information

Address: No. 7, Jalan Delima, 55100 Kuala Lumpur

Operating days: Mondays - Sundays

Operating hours: 7.30 a.m. - 9.00 p.m.

Contact no.: +60321426611
Fax no.: +60321426615
Parking: Valet parking available @ RM2

WiFi: Free but password protected

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The verdict says: ★ ★ ★ (out of 4)