Travel to Live a Life

Saw this quote while doing a random search about travel quotes in Google (my beloved search engine). It reminds me about my plan, my resolution, my dream.

To me, traveling is a great thing because every time you go on board, whether locally or oversea, you will learn something new. To me, every trip is a journey to learn and expose to more things. Yes, money is required, but that's what we need in life -- EXPERIENCE. We need money to buy food to live, and so, we will need money to travel to enjoy life. 

Travelers aren't people who try to escape from life, they are people who are brave enough to make a move, to step out of their comfort zone. I'm really impressed by people who can earn money for few years, then quit their job and go on a backpacking trip. Few months. Few years. Really impressive! I wish I can be like that one day. One day. I hope I have the courage, to make the first step. =)

"Each journey starts with a footstep. Make your move now" ~~ Jocelyn

Kedah: Yi Le Cha Fang 一乐茶坊

#throwback

If you are looking for a nice restaurant for some Chinese food in Alor Star, you may drop by "Yi Le Cha Fang" (一乐茶坊) at Lorong Pintu Sepuluh. This restaurant is located same row as Mist Cafe and Restaurant Auntie Kang (mentioned in previous previous post XD -- click here to read more about it)

This restaurant is under Wah Tua Guan company and hence they have same menu as Wah Tua Guan restaurants (which has a few branches in Alor Star). Something different about Yi Le Cha Fang and Wah Tua Guan is that Yi Le Cha Fang serves more variety of food, which includes western style. 

The menu.

Note: they will charge government tax as it is under a big group. Oh well. =)

Taken while waiting for friends at ground floor. -- Look like a place that sell chinese medicine. 
Didn't know that they have second floor until my friend called and ask for my location. They had waited for me over 20 minutes upstairs XD *so embarrassing* Second floor decoration is nicer as it is Japanese style. Have to take off shoes to dine for Chinese food. Impressive!

Very simple and nice deco. Makes me feel like home.

What?! They serve coffee too! Surprised when I was flipping the menu.

Next time I'll try it. =D

Singapore style Fried Mee Hoon (RM6+) 

This is a bomb! Really good! The portion is kinda big too and hence I'm full up after eating.
NO MORE SECOND ROUND. XD

If you want to search for a restaurant that has nice decoration and serve good chinese food, this may be a choice for ya! =D Though the price is a little higher than normal hawker stalls, but I think we pay for the service and environment, which is fair enough for the price they charge.

Taiping: Shunka Japanese Restaurant

Recently, Taiping has a newly open Japanese restaurant -- Shunka Japanese Restaurant. It is located near Taiping Mall, opposite my dad's shop (Sin Heng Guan Trading in Hawker Centre). Since the location is so strategic for me, I decided to give it a try with my sis. 

Hoping to get some nice desserts and sushi. =)

Went there around lunch time and the restaurant was quite full. 

The decoration in the restaurant is quite nice. Just that I find it not spacious enough as the walkway is quite narrow - waitress has to "squeeze through" if there is people. 

I wanted to try their matcha desserts but the waitress told me they are out of their green tea ice and/or glutinous ball. So sad! The waitress told me they will replace the glutinous balls with more red beans, which does not sounds tempting (The dessert itself already has red bean, just that they will add MORE red beans). Sigh........

HENCE, we've decided to order a hot matcha latte (RM7.90), reluctantly. But surprisingly, it turns out really nice! The matcha taste is rather strong and taste a bit bitter. With the addition of sweet milk, it turns out sweet with a little bitterness. A description of life. =D

After taking order for our drink, we've decided to get some sushi as snacks. Flipped through the menu and realized that they don't offer sushi. They offer main dishes (Japanese + Korean) and dishes, and some appetizers. So NO SUSHI. Sad...

Then we decided to order their Takoyaki (RM8.90) as snacks. It turns out very awful. I can only taste a "tepung ball" rather than sotong ball. Such a disappointing Takoyaki. Night market can get better Takoyaki than this! 

The Takoyaki -- look kinda fascinating. 

But the taste is really disappointing. =(

Kedah: Caffe Diem

Now! Time to be a little classical. Introducing a cafe in Alor Star, with a very meaningful name -- Caffe Diem (taken from the Latin word: Carpe Diem)

Carpe Diem is a Latin aphorism usually translated to "seize the day", taken from a poem in the Odes (book 1, number 11) in 23 BC by the poet Horace. Carpe is the second-persons singular present active imperative of carpo "pick or pluck" used by Ovid to mean "enjoy, seize, use, make use of". Diem is the accusative case of the noun dies "day". Thus a more literal translation of "carpe diem" would thus be "enjoy the day"~~~ Information taken from Wikipedia. 

Carpe Diem means "the enjoyment of the pleasures of the moment without concern for the future" ~~~ Information taken from Merriam-Webster.com

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Caffe Diem is quite a new cafe in Alor Star and I find it located in a hidden place. This is the first cafe I visited in Alor Star and hence I have special feeling to this cafe. 

It is open from 12pm - 12am, so it can be a place for brunch! However, their kitchen opens at 5pm, which means you can only get your Egg Benedict after 5pm =P

Very nicely decorated corridor seating.
You may choose to sit here if you need some alone time with your cup of coffee. 

Jeng Jeng! Here's to my cup of Hot Latte (RM7.90). 

Love their latte art, which looks so solid. (OMG, wondering if the barista can teach me how to make this... Oh please....)

Coffee. Coffee & Cake bar. Comfy environment.

Kedah: Restaurant Auntie Kang

#throwback

If you are craving for some Nyonya food in Alor Star, you can give this restaurant a try. Located along Lorong Pintu Sepuluh, near MIST cafe and Yi Le Cha Fang (一乐茶坊). This restaurant does not look very fancy from outside and the decoration inside is also rather simple. It gave me a very homey feeling. There's an uncle writing bills for customers when making payment. The uncle is as old as my grandpa and hence I think all the workers in this restaurant are family members. 

Nyonya's homey style decoration. Simpe but got feel.

Look at the cabinet! So antique!

Here's my lunch! Nyonya fried rice (RM5). 

It looks pretty simple but the taste was a bomb! *thumbs up* Every single rice is covered with the sauce. Perfectly fried and served by the aunty chef. 

A great place to have lunch alone. You will not feel lonely as it feels like home. People did stare at me as I occupied a whole table for myself. But hey, there is no smaller table for me. Seem like they serve for family most of the time, not for loner like me. XD

Kedah: Ginza Japanese Restaurant & Char Yin Yong

#throwback

Do you like sushi? Do you like udon? Do you like salmon? Omg Omg... Talking about these, I start to crave for some now! XD Yes! Japanese food is my all time favourite. But due to finance problem (Japanese good normally cost more), for a few months I didn't go for my favourite cuisine. 

In this post, I'm gonna share my experience in Ginza Japanese Restaurant -- my first try of Japanese food in Alor Star, and also another favourite hawker stall of mine. What does the hawker stall sells? Keep scrolling =)

Ginza Japanese Restaurant.

Got outdoor seating with only fan and hence that was quite a "hot" dinner. 

A-la-carte menu for sushi. I've ordered a Salmon nigiri that day but the waitress informed us an hour later that salmon is out of stock. Was a bit upset with their service. =S Can't you inform us earlier? 

My tempura udon! =D (RM17++)

Taste quite nice though. But this was served before I started waiting for my sushi. If my mood was interfered earlier, this udon may not taste that great already. Haha. XD

The tempura.

Address: Beside Fuller Hotel Alor Star

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NEXT!!!!

Time for something CHEAPER. Hawker food!

Kedah: Coffee Lunatic

Coffee Lunatic is a new cafe in Alor Star, Kedah. It was opened in July 2014 and it has attracted me to try it immediately. There are too few cafes in Alor Star and hence a new cafe will surely attracts my attention. XD

I heard from my friend that this cafe serves similar mille crepe as The Twelve Cups in Penang. As my previous experience in The Twelve Cups wasn't great, my interest for Coffee Lunatic decreases a bit. However, it is still a new cafe, must try!! ^_^

Till now, I've tried this cafe twice and was very happy with their waffles. Haven't get to try their coffee though. 

FIRST TRY --- The night before my first night shift. Too memorable.

29th July; My Red Bean with Green Tea Mille Crepe (RM10.90)

Friend's Double Choc Mille Crepe. Tried a bit -- thumbs up!

Different chocolate art but the same flavour mille crepe -- Double Choc.

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Second Try -- After my first weekend shift

Because working 12-9pm during the weekend is a bit depressing, so I texted my friends to hang out after my work. A great night where I had very nice waffle, nice company and great environment. It was a rainy night and hence there wasn't many customers in the cafe. (If there are too many customers, the cafe would be very noisy) So, less customer, less noise, and it becomes a better place to chat with friends.  

. 

The decoration of the cafe. Took it while waiting for my friends

My banana chocolate waffle for the night! This looks so good and taste great too!

Honestly, I prefer their waffle than mille crepe. XD

Penang: Brown Pocket & Mizi Bistro

#throwback

Finally I have a chance to try Brown Pocket in Gurney Paragon, Penang! =D I've heard about this cafe for quite some time but have no time to try it. Random is the key. Nice idea may just pop out in few seconds and we should just go for it without hesitation. 

Brown Pocket is a cafe that serves desserts, mainly waffle, and coffee. It seems to be very delicious from my friends' instagram photos and so I've decided to give it a try. Price range is around RM13-RM17 for a waffle, and unknown price for coffee (coz I didn't order one).

Foodie photos time! =D

Friend's blueberry yoghurt. Look very convincing right. 

Friend's Triple Chocolate Waffle -- Served with dark, milk and white chocolate in small cups + a scoop of chocolate ice cream. SO CHOCOLICIOUS. =D

MINE!! Banana Walnut Chocolate Waffle. Caramel banana is awesome.

It has been a long time since I take photo with my food. XD Fail food blogger.

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After we had our brunch in Brown Pocket, we went shopping for a while in Gurney Paragon before heading for a movie. SHOPPING TIME!! (Ended up did window shopping XD)

AND SELFIE TIME!