Escargot from Esmeralda Restaurant, Paris

After a long journey from the hotel to the heart of Paris from morning, we came to this restaurant randomly. This was a great choice for lunch after visiting Notre Dame.

As we walked towards a few restaurants across the street from Notre Dame Cathedral, most of the restaurants and cafes are selling breads. We wouldn’t want to have bread for like every day, so we walked and walked till we met Esmeralda. Yes, very sexy name. Always remember, when you travel, do not be afraid to try their local dishes or cuisine. You may not know when will be your next trip back!

The first important mission for us to have lunch is to try the Escargot. It’s funny when you listen to a Malaysian and a French talk. I tried to blend in for the sack of my tummy and 3 other tummies that are starving.

We have ordered ½ dozen of Escargot. First bite, addicted. Second bite, I WANT MORE! But we can’t you see as we have a budget. Blame on the conversion. Buttery sauce when some herbs, it doesn't smell bad at all.

 After all, friendly and hard working waiter, delicious food, great environment for us to feel "to be a local a day" best combination! 

Esmeralda

15 Rue Lamartine, 75009 Paris, France

01 42 81 58 08

October Halloween in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

As an Asian country, Halloween is not a quite popular festival/ celebration. If you do ask me, I do believe that ghosts or spirits do exist and each of them has different characteristic and personality. Well, as Malaysia is somehow a westernized country, some of us do celebrate the Halloween for fun but you will not see like how people had fun in movies during the Halloween. There will be no one (or lovely kids) knocking your door and say ‘trick or treats’ and you get a full basket of sweets. You will not see real pumpkins craved into jack-o'-lanterns. No.

What citizens of Kota Kinabalu City are having was just creating events like dressed up games or competition; get a chance to get something for free. Not to intense but we do want to have fun too! Now here’s some events that you might interested in when you’re in Kota Kinabalu.

Halloween or Hallowe'en (a contraction of its original title "All Hallows' Evening"), also known as All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the eve before the Western Christian feast of All Hallows. According to some scholars, All Hallows' Eve initially incorporated traditions from pagan harvest festivals and festivals honoring the dead, particularly theCeltic Samhain; other scholars maintain that the feast originated entirely independently of Samhain. Typical festive Halloween activities include trick-or-treating (also known as "guising"), attending costume parties, carving pumpkins into jack-o'-lanterns, lighting bonfires, apple bobbing, visiting haunted attractions, playing pranks, telling scary stories, and watching horror films. - Wikipedia

ONE: The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (Damai) is giving out “Bloody Berry”!

In this month, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf had made a great success in their “Don’t get choked. Go chocolate this October”. It’s a buy 1 free 1 promotion by choosing between Ice Blended - Pure Double Chocolate, Double Chocolate, Chocolate Banana and White Chocolate Dream. This coming end of October, The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf (Damai) is giving out “Bloody Berry”! For the First 100 customers who dressed up in COSTUME, from 8pm to 10pm on 31st October 2012 are entitled to get this free unique drink.

 TWO: Dressed up to watch Silent Hill Revelation 3D and get free ACER Iconia Tab

The ticket you need to get is the 09:15 PM 25th October (this Thursday) show at GSC Suria Sabah. Remember to show up 1 hour before showtime at our Breeze counter with your ticket and Halloween costume to receive your free GSC movie pass and lucky draw slip to win an ACER Iconia Tab A200.

Rules: Show up in FULL Halloween costume

There will be a picture taking session for the public with your favourite Silent Hill characters.

THREE: The Devil's Night Out at Chocolate Factory, KK Times Square

Details will be out soon.

FOUR: Get your Kawaii on at Shenanigan's, Hyatt Regency Kinabalu

This Thursday's (25th October 2012) Ladies Night at Shenanigan's is Harajuku Halloween!

*Ladies in a group of 5 get a bottle of sparkling wine.
*A Harajuku-Halloween party scene

*Fantastic prizes including bottles, room and food and beverage vouchers for best dressed party-goers
*Lucky draws when you buy promotion bottles
*Party with resident band DIGNITY
*Other fantastic drink promotions

and others? More to come.

Here's some idea for you for the dress up game.

This WEEK: The Sabah Food, Hospitality and Tourism Exhibition 2012

The Sabah Food, Hospitality and Tourism Exhibition 2012 will bring together an exciting array of Malaysian and multinational F&B, Hospitality and Tourism products and services.


People love food. People love quality service.

This Exhibition will be a showcase to attract buyers from every major market in the region featuring exciting products for virtually every category. Reach out to an array of opportunities — from supermarkets to restaurants, hospitality and tourism service companies to specialty shops and more. Whether it’s beverages, frozen foods, canned foods, halal foods, meats or snack foods, whether it’s the latest in using IT systems to cut costs and grow profits or the latest concepts in design from complete refurbishment to furniture, lighting and artwork, buyers will feed on it all at the Exhibition. 

Mark your Calendar!

Date   :     19^thto 21^st October 2012

Time  :     1000hrs to 1800hrs (Daily/ Three Days Event)

Venue :     Sabah Trade Centre, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah.

Sabah is a rich agricultural state blessed with being strategically located in the heart of South East Asia, accessible to the region by the second busiest international airport in Malaysia. This Exhibition takes advantage of this by bringing together major players in the food, hospitality and tourism industry to showcase their products and services.

Below are some of the exciting lineups of programmes at a glance:

1. Cooking Demonstration, Ice and Fruit Carving
2. Seminar on Green Innovations and the Sustainable Food Industry
3. Cake Decorating Competition
4. Career Talks
5. Showcase of 130ft "Nasi Himpit"
6. Showcase of Sabah Art

So, I will see you there? 

More details on:

http://www.sabahfoodandhospitality.com/index.php/programme

Front Row (from left) : Chef Len, Chef Gerald, Chef Norman, Chef Maurizio 

Back Row (from left) : Chef Vincent, Chef Shawn, Chef Fredille, Chef Djohan, Chef  Shaifful, Chef Adrian, Chef Ale

Here are all the awesome chefs that gives you Cooking Demonstration, Ice and Fruit Carving. All of them from different backgrounds and different organizations. Well, some of them I do know where are they from but I'm not going to type that in here. Let's be mysterious.