Amarin Heavenly Thai @ Mid Valley

Thai food isn't something my parents enjoy eating, but between Japanese and Thai food, my dad would choose the latter. While mum enjoys Japanese food, my dad would squirm at the sight of raw fish. At a business lunch once, he sent his plate of very good sashimi back to the kitchen and asked the chef to pan-fry it for him. >_< They usually go to Amarin Heavenly Thai when they are in Mid Valley, because it is not as crowded and none of the other restaurants appealed to them. “Thai food in KL is better than Thai food in Bangkok,” said my dad.

I called him biased, as a lot of Thai food in KL is modified to suit our Malaysian taste bud. Plus, he is very unadventurous when it comes to food. Refer to sashimi incident above. To me, Thai food without tom yum soup is like a 3-tiered wedding cake with no icing. The tom yum seafood's (RM39.90 per small pot) flavours were assertive and complex. It had all the elements that I like -- salty, hot, spicy and sour with a hint of sweetness. I thought it could have been spicier, as I like my tom yum super spicy and sour. You can request for your tom yum to be spicier. I couldn’t because my two sisters would have fainted from the spiciness.We also had the Deep Fried Garoupa with Thai Chili Sauce (RM48). Fried till golden brown, the fish was piping hot and crunchy. The chilli sauce tasted more like plum sauce to me. It tasted quite mild, despite the presence of chopped chilli padi. The rest of the table enjoyed it, so I figured it was meant for those with can't take too spicy food. Green curry chicken (RM16 - small) is another must-order dish for me when I’m at a Thai restaurant. Amarin’s version had a wonderful burst of lemongrass and was spicy enough to make my tongue tingle. The curry boasted tender chicken chunks, green peas and soft tiny eggplants in thick, spicy gravy. We should have ordered a bigger portion; this was too little for 6 pax. The omelette (RM9) was completely ordinary. I don’t know why, but dad likes eating egg omelette with green curry. This was very oily, which put him and my mum off. It was instead, shared between myself, my small sister and rif. The other sis also doesn't like oily food.Pandan Leaf Chicken (RM24 - 6 pieces) came highly recommended by our waiter. I also spotted the dish on the other tables that night. The leaf helps seal the juices of the chicken inside, so the chicken is tender and moist even after it is fried. This was quite good -- the chicken was fragrant, slightly sweetish and oh-so-tender.
This plate of asparagus with garlic (RM18) was ordered because mum wants her greens. I would have preferred something with chilli or belacan, but mum wanted her vegetables to be clear and ‘healthy’.The Japanese tofu in hot wok (RM18) was similar to the Chinese version. I found the gravy slightly sweetish and not as starchy. Nothing special; but it went well with white rice. Tub tim grob means crunchy ruby, and this dessert is commonly found on the dessert menu in most Thai restaurants, including Amarin Heavenly Thai. I liked the crunchiness of the water chestnuts and the chewiness of the tapioca flour coating. The sweet and mildly salty coconut milk, and the slivers of jackfruit gave the tub tim grob (RM8) a wider mix of colours and tastes. I would have preferred the coconut milk to be creamier, but my sisters thought it was fine the way it was. It's my preference, as I tend to like my food rich and creamy.

Service was warm and friendly. Our water glasses were never empty and the staff knew what dishes to recommend. Definitely a plus point for Amarin.

Ambiance: 7/10
Price: 5/10
Food: 6.5/10
Verdict: Decent food, lovely presentation but rather pricey.

S045, Level 2,
Centre Court,
Mid Valley Megamall
03 2938 3187

Dave's Deli, 1 Utama

10 years ago, Bangsar Shopping Centre was very different. I remember going there often for the frozen yogurt and corn in a cup from Nelson’s after school. What I remembered most about BSC was Dave’s Deli. It was our (rif and I) hangout place because it was nearby. We were 16, with no driving licence and not much money. Dave’s Deli BSC closed down in 2003, and while they had outlets in Subang Parade and 1 Utama, I never bothered going. To my surprise, rif suggested Dave’s Deli for lunch when we were in 1 Utama recently. Like old times, we ordered the ¼ roast chicken & gravy (RM14.50) and the Pasta Combo (RM16.50). The chicken was decent, as were the coleslaw and mash potatoes. It was tender and flavourful from the mushroom gravy. I especially enjoyed the skin, which was well seasoned with herbs and black pepper. The mash potato and coleslaw were nothing to shout about, but definitely better than the sides from this famous roast chicken franchise I know of. We always sneaked bites from each other’s dish, and many years down the road, we were still the same. I found the lasagna mushy -- because they put too much gravy on top (I don’t remember them doing that last time). The spaghetti, although slightly on the sour side, tasted alright.
Truth be told, I didn’t find the food great, but it was hearty and comforting. This was more of a walk down memory lane for us, so in that sense, I enjoyed my lunch.

Ambiance: 5/10
Price: 6/10
Food: 5.5/10 (pork-free)
Verdict: Simple deli food, average pricing.

Ground Floor,
1-Utama Shopping Centre
www.davesdeli.com.my

Jung Personality Test

According to this test, I'm an ESFP.

Extraverted 1%
Sensing 38%
Feeling 50%
Perceiving 22%

And my career directions are:

Picture Credit: http://darmano.typepad.com/

1) Advertising
(freakishly true!)

2) Public Relations Specialist
(somewhat true)

3) Sales/Marketing Specialist
(true -- I've done this before)

4) Fashion Merchandising
(somewhat true -- I've dabbled with this before)

It says:

"Almost every ESFP loves to talk. Some can be identified by the twenty minute conversation required to ask or answer a simple factual question." -- Hahaha...how apt!

Artisan™ Portrait of the Performer (ESFP)

Performers have the special ability, even among the Artisans, to delight those around them with their warmth, their good humor, and with their often extraordinary skills in music, comedy, and drama. Whether on the job, with friends, or with their families, Performers are exciting and full of fun, and their great social interest lies in stimulating those around them to take a break from work and worry, to lighten up and enjoy life (I'm quite fun, no? =P).


Functional Analysis:

Extraverted Sensing

The dominant function of ESFPs is concerned with the reality that is perceived through the senses. This type's prime directive is to examine the tangible through taste, touch, sight, feeling and hearing. ESFPs' need for new experiences surely results from this function. Feeling gives focus to the collected information, producing the amiable nature of this type. As perceivers, ESFPs do not linger on moral concerns unless it is in service of a Greater Good and/or a unifying cause.

Introverted Feeling

Feeling, which tends to decision-making in the interest of individual beings, is auxiliary to sensing. As with all introverted functions, feeling for ESFPs has a surreal, cryptic, quintessential nature. It is more often implied than verbally expressed, more apparent in countenance and deed rather than word or creed. Feeling takes care that playful pokes and pranks do no harm to the victim.

Extraverted Thinking

This tertiary function is at the ready to give definitive answers when the world requires them. It provides a measure of balance to Introverted Feeling, allowing the ESFP some level of boundary and protection from those who would take advantage. When overused or overestimated, however, Thinking becomes a liability. ESFPs do well to seek out confirmation of the soundness of tough-minded decisions.

Introverted iNtuition

This function is least visible. As is the nature of the inferior (fourth) function, ESFP intuition lacks a sense of balance. This type seems most successful in deducing patterns and seeing connections only after a thorough examination of the facts (which process appears quite unorganized and haphazard to non-SPs). Although some ESFPs may develop such abilities, the mastery of logic, analysis and abstraction is usually difficult and wearying, and not very much fun (NOTE: Yes, I hate anything to do with physics, calculations and even DIY projects. Ask me to become an accountant and I'll vomit blood for you. Ask me to try and assemble a shelf/table and I'll run away!).

Picture Credit: The Writer's Journey Hmmm...does it mean I'm not meant to be a writer? 0_o

Go take this TEST for yourself!