Back to KL

It was a smooth drive home. We set off just after noon after the boys had their late breakfast. No drama on the way down and it took me around 90 minutes to reach Gombak.

We were starving when we finally reached KL. We went straight to Sakura Kristal and had our late lunch. Tired, heading home next toned it all the photos and videos.

Back to Melawati

Its a tradition for us. Every year, our local Pasar Ramadhan would be the one at Taman Melawati. Over the years it had gone through plenary of changes, in terms of location and appearance. It used to be in a large car park, four rows of shops, well spaced out. Plenty of stalls and food to choose from. A real go to spot when it came to shopping for berbuka.

For the last three years, the venue had changed and with that, the charm had disappeared. Many good stalls had decided to go elsewhere. My favourite drink joint was nowhere to be seen. What was left were pretty basic while some were downright mediocre.

I only went there because I was curious. Definitely not there because I wanted the food. And don't get me started about the traffic.

The new Pasar Ramadhan spot was located along one of the back row, on a smaller car park. Three rows of shops and parking meant leaving your car by the roadside of a busy main road. It was both a nightmare manouvering in and out of the place. Avenue you were late, forget it. You might end up in your car longer than the actual shopping.

I was there on the second day of Ramadhan. Definitely not a fan but if you must look for food for Berbuka, you may not have much of a choice.

Pasar Ramadan is Back

Yesterday was the first day of Ramadan for this year. And as usual, it also marked the return of food stalls at Pasar Ramadan. A quick fix that not just the Malays would enjoy.

We broke our fast - or as my more Arabinised friends wold call it performed iftar - at my in-law's place. And with that, Anita and I went out on a rampage at the local Pasar Ramadan at Melawati! Anita even collected her small change into her handbag for the occasion.

A drink with a twist ....They changed the layout of the market this time making it more compact, turning one of the carpark into 3 rows of stalls. I reckoned there were about 70 stalls all together, with great variety of food this time compared to the last.

We bought all the usual suspects, mostly from the same stall we had frequented over the years. But, the disappointing thing was our usual drinks vendor was not there. In fact, he wasn't there since last year. Another vendor which was missing was my favourite cucur udang stall. The alternatives - although plenty - were not as good.

After filling up both my hands with carry bags - should have brought with us a couple of shopping bags with us - we decided to call it the afternoon, although if she had had her way, there would be more!

Surprisingly, we finished most of the food yesterday, if not during berbuka, the left overs were gone by sahur. Idlan however asked for Nando's chicken for his breaking fast, so we had to stop by the mall to get that for him. Irfan wanted chicken rice. That was easy enough.

So, for the second day, we planned to eat out as the boys wanted chicken teriyaki for their berbuka. Plotting being done as we speak ....

Food Truck

It was not something we usually get to see here in Malaysia. A food truck. Quite literally one. Not one of those small van where the vendors stuffed their wears to a pasar malam before laying them in the open under a tent.

This was a purpose built kitchen truck, where they cook and prepare food, complete with benches like I saw on the Food Network on TV. To see them in the flesh worth a second glance, and in Anita's case, worth a sample.

We were at Melawati to pick up some washings when we stopped at a cafe. At the entrance parked this truck opened for business that evening, selling burgers. Gourmet ones.

Reasonably priced and the burgers - all prepared from fresh ingredients with home made patties - were something else.

Google www.burgergilerpower.com for more info. Apparently. they would be parked at Melawati - in front of Espressolab, opposite the Police Station - three nights a week, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Will definitely give it another go.

New Kid on the Block

Let's be honest. One don't normally expect to find chic cafe in Melawati. This being a rather middle-class, predominantly Muslim neighbourhood, people there tended to be conservative. The demography was also on the older side, mainly a place for the retiree. The neighbourhood had been around for more than 40 years, which explained it.

It was a surprise when we bumped into a newly opened branch of Espressolab when we went there the other day - and when we bumped into the food truck parked right in front of it.

Free wifi, decent ambiance, but the coffee was not really that great unfortunately. It may be our bad luck that the evening's brew just was not up to scratch. Or at least we hoped so. Still a nice place to hand around. Didn't sample the free wifi though as I had LTE.

The location was nice enough that I might be coming back for another look. The outlet did not offer much cooked food though from looking at the menu, unlike the branch at Great Eastern Mall.