I spent a few hours working this morning while Julia was sleeping off the tough day at Camp 5 and 1 very potent cocktail from The Social in Bangsar.

We got up and out in time for lunch, which we had at Nandoo’s.  Sort of as chili training for Thailand I guess, so I made the most of it and had the Extra Hot Peri Peri chicken burger.  As usual, it disappointed, and as usual I added a healthy dollop of the Extra hot Peri Peri sauce on the table.  Alas, that seemed to have turned into extra sour Peri Peri sauce.  I wonder if they water it down with vinegar.  Anyway, lunch was to fuel me for working while Julia walked Bangsar flat after bargains and good deals.

The evening saw us yet again meeting up with Ian and Eve (where there’s food…), but also Julia’s brother Jon, and fellow reporter JJ and his girlfriend – making our entire group Sabahans and Sabahan-wannabes, or honorary Sabahans as Ian and myself like to be refer too

We revisited Lucky Gardens. Good food and cheap beer, it doesn’t get much better than this.

An evening of generally silly banter and otherwise good conversation were interspersed with great food. Ian and Eve retired early, but the rest of us walked back to our respective abodes via The School – I think it’s a club in Bangsar, but we sat outside so not sure if it’s a club or a bar.

The night was sealed with a jug of beer and fond farewells as Julia and I prepared ourselves for the Thai leg of Tour D’ Tom Yum.

Oh yes, there was this little video clip too….

If you enjoyed this post, do subscribe to the 1Earth RSS feed!

Going from strength to strength Big Apple Donuts opened their second branch of donut decadence in Kota Kinabalu’s Warisan Square. But what’s up the official website of Big Apple Donuts?

Rumour has it (and it is a rumour), that they were in such a hurry to copy J.Co Donuts that they clean forgot about setting up a website. I visited the domain name some time ago (when I realised it existed), but it had a ‘Under Construction’ thingum running - now I can’t even access it.

Anyway, the good news about Big Apple Donuts in Warisan Square is that it might has well be an entirely different business, judging by the service that is. When Julia and I stumbled into the queue, the line was snaking right around the little kiosk, from the pay point right back to the kitchen on the other side.

Short, slow-moving queues from Big Apple Donuts in City Mall flashed through our minds and we cringed at the prospect of having to wait so long to try the 6 donuts left on the menu, which we had yet to taste. But we nearly choked on our donut-flavour-enduced drool when whilst pondering the worth of waiting in the queue, one of the service staff came over to our far flung corner and took our order.

Gob smacked, we pointed out the ones we needed, was handed a box with them in, and we effortless flowed with the queue, which we now noticed was actually quite fast moving. At the till itself the process was quick and efficient and in no-time we were done. I was so inspired by this redeeming standard of service that I had to order a latte. Previously I haven’t given much respect to the Coffee part of Big Apple Donuts & Coffee, but because of the excellent service I thought I would try it.

This is where things hit a snag. Clearly they don’t make much coffee, although when I asked the girl at the cash register, she said they do - I’m not convinced she understood what I asked her. Her colleague first had to be reminded how to make the latte, then asked in which cup to put the latte, before eventually she gave me what looked like a Cappuccino in a very small cup. I cringed; RM7 for a sip of coffee.

However, if I was stunned by the efficiency of the Warisan Square branch of Big Apple Donuts, I was complete bowled over by the quality of the latte.

I wasn’t expecting much, to be fair, but on my latte scale where zero on the lowest end is represented by a Nescafe tube of 3-in-1 (the most horrendous coffee imitation ever to hit the market) and five on the high end is a Starbucks, no-frills latte - and a 3 is a cafe latte at The Pacific Sutera’s Cafe Boleh - the Big Apple Donuts latte scored a 4. It was in fact a very satisfying latte.

And because the latte was riding shotgun with our donut tasting, I didn’t even notice, or mind that much, the tiny size of the cup.

So, you’ve read much about Big Apple Donuts and you know there are 22 donuts on their menu board, and you also probably know that every now and again you find a donut which is not on the menu board, but do you know what you want before you go there? A major factor in slow moving queues, especially at the Big Apple Donuts in City Mall, is the fact that people can’t make up their minds about what they want to choose.

And it’s not like Big Apple Donuts make it any easier to decide before you go there, because only God knows what’s up with Big Apple Donuts’ official website (a hint: it’s not working).

But donut salvation is at hand, because Sabahbah.com came up with The Ultimate Guide to Big Apple Donuts’ donuts.

So if you’d like to know what’s actually included in their line-up (difficult to tell, especially at City Mall, when their trays are always empty), just refer to The Ultimate Guide to Big Apple Donuts’ donuts.

If you enjoyed this post, do subscribe to the 1Earth RSS feed!

Good service is hard to find in Kota Kinabalu, and as quick as I am to complain, as quick I am to commend. And this weekend I encountered two instances of above and beyond that I simply must share.

San Francisco Coffee, Warisan Square

I’m not a huge fan of San Francisco Coffee merely because I prefer the stronger taste of the competitor’s coffee.

However, in our quest to find the perfect western breakfast in Kota Kinabalu, Julia and myself thought it’s about time that we tried out San Francisco Coffee’s Big Breakfast, which is served until 11.30am.

So it happened then that on Saturday morning we walked into San Francisco Coffee in Warisan Square, well hungry and in the mood for breakfast. We walked up to the counter and ordered and was happily obliged, except, said the Barista taking our order, because it’s after 11.30am the bottomless coffee/tea is not included.

I looked at Julia, she looked at me, and together we turned to look at the clock on the wall. It was 11.38am. We looked back at the Barista in unison, with equal expressions of disbelief on our face. Without batting an eyelid he said “but no matter, for you we’ll still include the coffee”.

I was literally dumbstruck - not by having missed the cut-off by 8 minutes (it was 11.34am on my watch), but by the way he graciously granted us the benefit without argument or protest - which is usually what would happen in such cases. Both our faces lit up and we were supremely impressed.

Of course, we wanted to fill in a Customer Feedback card, but alas, they had no such tools, so we enjoyed our breakfast in bliss.

Starbucks Coffee, City Mall

Ever since Starbucks in KK introduced the Rooibos Tea Latte, it has been my favourite drink. I’ve had it every time on the several occasions that we’ve been to Starbucks over the months that they’ve introduced it, and it’s been a pleasant experience every time.

At about 10pm last night we found ourselves at the Starbuck Coffee in City Mall, and as usual I ordered the Rooibos Tea Latte. Both the Baristas behind the counter were very friendly and helpful and the order was quickly filled.

I was standing at the counter waiting for the other half of our order when I took a sip of the latte. It tasted odd, watery. I took another sip and realised that I would need sugar, the first time I’ve ever felt the need with a Rooibos Tea Latte.

After we sat down and I started sipping the latte, I realise that something was seriously amiss. It just didn’t taste the same, and it was watery. Markedly different to the many times I had it previously.

I went back to the Barista, after some coaxing from Julia, and asked him if this is the usual Rooibos Tea Latte and that I felt something was missing from it. He said that it was the same as always. I accepted it as such returned to my seat.

Another Barista, incidentally the one who made that very first Rooibos Tea Latte for me in the Starbucks in Warisan Square, appeared from the storeroom and had a chat with the one I spoke to earlier. Moments later he came over to ask if there was something wrong with the latte.

I was surprised and said that yes there was - does he remember the first time he made me the latte? He confirmed that he did remember, there’s not that many tall, bald-headed white-guys in KK. He said no matter, he’ll fix me another one.

I again found myself stunned by the gesture. I didn’t ask for a replacement when I went in, but he came out to check and wanted to give me a satisfying drink. I was pleasantly surprised.

He returned some minutes later with a good old cup of soothing Rooibos Tea Latte. We had a bit of a chat and introduced ourselves - his name is Peachi.

So, at the City Mall Starbucks, you can get the best Rooibos Tea Latte in KK from a guy called Peachi.

Big Apple Donuts, City Mall, KK

Here’s just a Big Apple Donut update, because there were no instances of exceptional service at Big Apple Donuts in City Mall. In fact, they still have 7 or 8 staff behind the glass panels churning out donuts, and only one in the front trying to service the line.

The first update is that there’s now a Big Apple Donuts in Warisan Square in Kota Kinabalu (in the mall part, near Roxy and Charles & Keith). The second update is that they’ve discovered the need for a website.

Yup, Big Apple Donut’s official website will be at bigappledonuts.com - will be, because there’s nothing at the moment, and they actually print on the box “under construction”.

Update 22 October 2008: 8 Months down the line Big Apple Donuts’ website is no more than it was 6 months ago.  Guess they didn’t need a website that much afterall.  And Peachi told me the correct spelling of his name and also said he’s now at City Mall on a permanent basis.  You go Peachi!

If you enjoyed this post, do subscribe to the 1Earth RSS feed!

We went for breakfast at Foo Ping Dim Sum in Lintas, KK, on Sunday morning and although Dim Sum is not my first choice for breakfast, it’s not a bad choice.

Dim Sum, a Cantonese word, literally translates to mean heart’s delight. It consists of a variety of snacks, many of which are steamed. There are various permutations of Dim Sum and the most popular ones are a delicious something-or-other wrapped in a flour shell and steamed.

Other popular types include food like deep fried wanton, chicken feet and steamed pork ribs with black-bean and chilli. It might sound like an odd combination of food, but once you’ve tried Dim Sum, you’ll always look for the next opportunity to have some.

Coming back to breakfast though, our chosen destination is in Lintas near the Prudential Building, called Foo Ping Dim Sum. If it’s not the most popular place in Kota Kinabalu for Dim Sum, it certainly is one of the most popular places in KK, because it doesn’t matter what time of the morning you go there, there’s always a crowd.

Ironically enough, even though the tables are packed and Dim Sum trolleys are weaving backwards and forwards in between crammed tables that seem to have no space at all, there’s always space for two or three more.

Julia and I arrived shortly before breakfast would be over, but Foo Ping Dim Sum was still packed with hungry punters munching away on a large variety of Dim Sum choices. We had no trouble finding a seat, but a quick glance revealed only a few empty seats.

We called over one of the girl pushing the Dim Sum trolley and made our selection. I don’t know what all the Dim Sum dishes are called, but I’ve learned to identify them and remember what tastes good. The fact that they are colour-coded with a colourful edible something marking the different dishes, makes it a bit easier.

The names I do remember includes steamed pork rib with black bean and chili sauce, char siew, which is sweet and sour pork, and chee cheong fun. Chee cheon fun is a flour based dish, not unlike a large, limp noodle. It’s prepared in a soy-based sauce and is unexpectedly delicious. We also had lom ai kai, a glutonous rice dish with pork bits and salted egg. It tastes better than what it might sound and has a savory, slightly sweet, taste to it.

Wanting to have a relatively light start to the day, we ordered a modest amount of Dim Sum, and after finishing it, resisted the urge to order more, even though the taste of what we had and the aroma of what awaited were quite compelling.

As we drove off, settling down in the car, our stomachs became heavier and heavier and we realised how much we really ate. As Dim Sum is served in small portions, it’s easy to underestimate how much you’re actually eating, and you’re guaranteed to eat a lot when you visist Foo Ping Dim Sum in Lintas, Kota Kinabalu.

If you enjoyed this post, do subscribe to the 1Earth RSS feed!

Upperstar, the successful bar slash restaurant opposite Shenanigans, has opened a second branch in Damai and it was instantly popular.

You may or may not, but probably do, know Upperstar in the centre of Kota Kinabalu across the road from the Hyatt Regency. You then also know that this is probably one of the most popular bar slash restaurants in Kota Kinabalu.

Their secret to success is in fact, no secret: popular, consistent food, great variety of drinks and all this at an affordable place. I remember when the Upperstar in town was just one, ground floor unit. Soon they had purchased the shop above them and not too long after that, they took over the shop lot next to the one on top.

They’ve never had problems filling any of these new spaces and, I’m sure, did they have space around there, they would have expanded yet again, but clearly they didn’t, which is why they’re now in Damai.

Occupying the slot where previously Atlantis Bistro was struggling to survive, Upperstar is almost gloating, what with not being open for a month yet and already they’re virtually packed every night.

Together with the Coffee Bean next door, Upperstar is responsible for filling up the measly parking lot of the Damai area and on the night 3of4 went for grub, we had to park some distance away and walk it in.

The décor of the Upperstar in Damai is along the lines of the original one, except they’ve managed to do it a little more stylish and complete. The seating consists of the popular square tables with rattan chairs, but better still, features booth seating which makes for a comfortable meal, drink or chat.

The menu is a carbon copy of the big brother in Kota Kinabalu and I think this was they key to their success, as everybody who previously had to go out all the way to town for they Upperstar fix, now can stay in the neighborhood and enjoy the same food and drinks they previously had to drive so far for.

I opted for something had previously on purpose, to see whether or not the quality was consistent. You can find a Taco Foldover in a few places around Kota Kinabalu, but they’re all pretty mediocre. The Upperstar Taco Foldover is half decent and thus, my choice for this here consistency test.

Julia chased after the waiter to change her order to Chicken Salad and John went for the Lamb Chop. Although Upperstar isn’t, and doesn’t pretend, to be gourmet food, the food beats the crap out of any fast food joint and is in fact quite delicious. My Taco Foldover was, as expected, Taco Foldover’ish and I wasn’t disappointed. Julia’s Chicken Salad was loaded and filling, and John’s Lamb Chop came with an African Sauce, the name of which we couldn’t explain, but which was well edible nevertheless.

Thinking I needed a Vitamin B kick, I ordered a Nutri Malt, supposedly in the line of a non-alcoholic Guiness. What a disaster! I’m sure I still got some Vitamin B out of it, but it really left an aftertaste on my palette the likes of which I really don’t want to finish dinner with. Julia and John both played it safe with a mango shake, which they said was not fresh mango but syrup. Still, I thought, it must surely be oodles better than the Nutri Malt. Yuck!

Apart from the Nutri Malt, which comes in a can and really has nothing to do with Upperstar, it was a thumb-up experience. The food was good and in-line with what we expected, the drinks were ok (except, of course, the Nutri Malt) and the people watching was excellent, because it was busy from the time we got there until goodness knows what time after.

The service was efficient, although the waiters look like they were plucked off the street. I’m not sure whether the baggy pants, sloppy t-shirts and even sloppier hats is their idea of casual uniform, but that’s the one thing I would comment about: improve the service staff’s appearance.

Although we went for a late dinner-and-chat, I think Upperstar is a venue that really begs to be a hang-out place. And next time we need just such a venue, when an alcoholic drink or two would be in order, we’ll head on over to Upperstar Damai.

If you enjoyed this post, do subscribe to the 1Earth RSS feed!