Chinese Malay fusion at Muar E Kopitiam

Nestled in the Beserah area is a well loved kopitiam by local Kuantanese. It's been around for the past 10 years. People used to come here for breakfast/brunch with its excellent coffee and bread. Now the menu has expanded so much that it's even full during lunch and afternoon tea.

Muar E Kopitiam

a643, Jalan Beserah, Kampung Alor Akar, 25300 Kuantan, Pahang
09-567 9324
https://g.co/kgs/DgAUEh
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Muar-E-Kopitiam-204565746235371/

By the way, there's another smaller branch opposite Grand City Hotel which very few knows.

Our small Blogger Pantai Timur group- Is, Amer and I had the honor of doing a food review here recently.Read Amer's and Iskandar's blogs here

On a lazy Saturday morning, we enjoyed a hearty breakfast at Muar E which means satisfying in Chinese.

The must orders in their beverage menu are these!

Bottom right-
Traditional Muar E hot coffee- a special coffee blend from Muar made with both evaporated and condensed milk. Its smooth taste owes to the open secret technique of making the cuppa with a cup scalded with boiling water.

Muar E milk tea- using the same combination of milk and replacing the coffee with fresh tea leaves straight from Bharat tea plantation at Cameron Highlands. Definitely a must try for milk tea lovers.

Upper right-
Muar E green coffee- those who love their coffee a bit stronger and more aromatic made by vanilla.

Lower left-
Muar E black coffee- for the hardcore black coffee fans. This cup is strong and more bitter. A great kick start for the day.

Upper left-
If you can't have enough of Muar E coffee, bring their coffee sachets home! It contains 30 sachets excellent for gifting too. And it's all without sugar for the health conscious.

Not a fan of coffee? Muar E has you covered. There are 3 special types of cold pressed juice (a way of extracting fruit and vegetable juice without destroying the molecules). These boosts the immune system and energy level. No added sugar/preservatives.

Immuno orange (apple, orange, carrot)- a classic juice that all children will love
Sharpy red (beet root, apple, orange, carrot)- the sharp earthy taste of beet root is much harmonized by the other ingredients
Glorious green ( apple, pineapple, mint, spinach)- surprisingly refreshing and minty. Taste more like pineapple juice.

Their food, has heavy influence by the lovely manager Jo Ann- Chinese Kelantanese heritage.

Stir fry pan mee is one of their signature. Slightly chewy homemade dough shredded by hand, blanched, then stir fried with caramel sauce. Topped with crunchy fried anchovies and shallots to create a complex texture. A great comfort food. For more punch, choose the spicy version.

Mee Siam is the second signature dish. Instead of the usual sweet sambal taste, it's stir fried with lime leaves which creates a taste similar to TomYum.

The rendang chicken here has a very generous portion of kerisik aka coconut butter ( Coconut grated, toasted, then ground to a paste). A yummy twist as it matches so well with the yam rice.

Chee Cheong Fun is of the famous Pulau Tikus style. It's a thin pastry, much like laksam for the Malay version, steamed and eaten with a sweet sauce. This special recipe contains prawn paste and peanut butter, sprinkled with the freshest sesame seeds.

Even the achar here is so unique. Vegetables boiled then preserved with vinegar and a special combinations of spices or rempah together with crunchy grounded peanut.

There's just so many more to introduce! With 60 options in the menu which is improvised every year.

Nasi goreng kampung fried with just enough heat or wok hei in Cantonese.

Otak-otak crumbed and fried. A great crowd pleaser that goes well with mayonnaise.

Garlic bread made with sliced French toast, Tartura butter and coriander. Crispy outside, soft inside :)

Toast/steam wholemeal bread with Tartura butter and smooth kaya.

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Pulu Lepa kelantan. Only available when there's fresh supply from Kelantan. Just like how nasi dagang is only available on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Our verdict 8/10 for the authenticity and yumminess at an affordable price tag :)

Oral care for the sensitive teeth featuring SensiLacer

I am very lucky because I have never had dental caries before. You may ask my secret- I don’t have Darlie’s white teeth but I do make sure I brush my teeth at least twice a day, as well as avoiding sugary food.

I don’t floss (which any dentist will tell you rightly to floss) but I am blessed with small teeth so there are gaps in between them and food doesn’t get stuck. And I am guilty of missing my half yearly dentist appointment now and again :p But my last scaling was up to date in mid 2018 which is important to avoid plaque buildup.

But I do have problems with sensitive teeth. Sometimes, hot or cold drinks don’t agree with me. Sadly, this is most likely that some of my enamel has worn away.

These are the possible causes of teeth sensitivity-

1. Excessive abrasive brushing
2. Excessive acidic food (soda, sticky candy and high sugar carbs)
3. Teeth grinding
4. Bleaching
5. Shrinking gums due to aging (after 40s)
6. Gum disease
7. Cracked tooth/filling

Read more about sensitive teeth on webMD

Unfortunately or fortunately, there was no obvious cause found for me. So I resort to the help of toothpaste for sensitive teeth which is the first line of treatment.

SensiLacer hails from Spain in which it’s been leading the market for the past 70 years. Interestingly, SensiLacer does not only alleviate teeth sensitivity, but it also treats it by blocking the dentinal tubules, reducing pain nerve activation and remineralizing the enamel.

Again, studies have shown solid evidence of SensiLacer providing pain relief in 3 days and eliminating sensitivity in 1 month. As for me, I have noticed significant improvement within 2 days of using the product.

The main ingredients that get the job done are

1. Potassium nitrate- reduces teeth sensitivity
2. Fluoride- remineralizes the enamel, reduces teeth sensitivity, avoids teeth decay
3. Silicon dioxide obliterates- barrier against substances which cause teeth sensitivity

I love the mild minty and sweet pleasant taste of the toothpaste. It can be used daily by brushing after each meal or even by applying directly onto the sensitive teeth when the pain gets intolerable for quick relief.

Being gluten free also makes SensiLacer suitable for patients who suffer from coeliac disease, which is a condition whereby gluten consumption can cause small bowel inflammation, malabsorption and diarrhea.

SensiLacer Toothgel 75ml is now available on PMMII.com at RM31.50

Or shop for other LACER products here

But my lucky readers. You get 15% off all Lacer products straight imported from Spain when you use this code PMANGEL until end of this month.

Give it a try if you have sensitive teeth like me to avoid suffering from feasting this CNY :)

Sothys products to your doorstep

Do you know that now Malaysians can get Sothys products online! Now I am sure many of us are familiar with Sothys’s products. You are missing out if you have not heard about Sothys. Originating from Paris, it’s a famous skincare brand that has established itself over the past 70 years.

It is so well known that it’s being featured in many female lifestyle magazines such as Marie Claire, Cleo and Nuyou. The list of prestigious awards won is equally impressive including the brandiaureate Best Brands- the most celebrated brand, skincare and beauty from 2013 to 2016. In fact it has also received the world’s most iconic brands award last year.

But Sothys has not gotten complacent. Besides the coveted exclusive Christmas Collection, Sothys has also introduced a range of anti-ageing skincare regime after 2 years of extensive research and development. The 3 coffret sets-     nutritive, energizing and rejuvenate sets are what I really want for Christmas this year. They aim to save our skin from all those nights partying away with powerful night cream and serum.

With the slogan, age does not have to be a secret anymore, the Secrets de Sothys range harnesses the power of  peach leave glucans, hynea algae and retinol like chicory extract as well as collagen. The set includes premium youth cream, eye and lip youth cream.

There’s even certain technique in applying the creams for optimal results.

Sothys girls are also there to help if you have any questions. They are skincare professionals who have undergone extensive training in the beauty industry and are there to assist and make individualized plans for your skincare regime.

There are many physical stores throughout Malaysia including Klang Valley, Malacca, Negeri Sembilan and Johor. To make things even more convenient for folks like us from the East Coast for example, head to their e store for exclusive deals and free shipping for orders RM200 and above.

For busy working ladies like me, you can also opt for the Auto Recurring Order Program in which order will be done automatically every 2 months at discounted price ( I calculated about 23% discounts for each recurring order). I suppose this is a form of loyalty program offered by Sothys.

Of course, men nowadays are becoming more conscious about their skin too and the girls at Sothys have it covered with the simple regime consists of eye roll-on, facial cleanser , hair and body revitalizing gel.

What’s more, grab your RM15 off now by subscribing to Sothys’s newsletter. And another RM20 off when you refer your friends to become a member of Sothys.

Hurry up and get shopping this Christmas at Sothys!

Sothys Malaysia Official Website

Non invasive facial contouring featuring ID. AZ Face Fit Cu-V Tensioning Sleeping Pack

Welcoming a newborn home brings so much joy and of course many sleepless nights. I can't recall a non-fragmented sleep since the Bing's birth in 2016 to be honest. And we all know the importance of beauty sleep for glowing complexion.

Since it's nearly impossible for me to have good sleep in the next few years, sadly, I depend on good beauty products. For a busy person like me, being a full-time doctor and mother of 2, as well as a part-time blogger, my beauty regime needs to be simple.

Therefore, sleeping mask is one of the essential items in my beauty cabinet. Why do we need face mask? It hydrates, deeply cleanses, unclog pores, stimulates circulation and also increases the penetration of the other skincare products applied beforehand. But the typical sheet mask can undo all the good if applied for too long. For someone who almost always falls asleep all relaxed by the mask, sleeping mask is the solution.

I'm sharing about the latest sleeping mask from the holy land of the beauty industry-- Korea. ID.AV sleeping mask is manufactured under the ID group which is a reputable company specializing in cosmetic surgeries as well as non invasive beauty products-- for facial contouring called Placosmetics (plastic surgery+cosmetics).

There's even an ID hospital which has plastic surgery, dermatology and dentistry services all under one roof. It's the only certified plastic surgery in Korea with more than 18 Years of experience led by Dr Park Sang Hoon.

ID. AZ Face Fit Cu-V Tensioning Sleeping Pack

I love how sleek the design is. I'm excited to look at the 'shiny' contents of the jar.

This sleep mask aims to lift, slim, whiten and smoothen the face. These are the main culprits which make people appear aged.

ID has conducted its own small scale study to prove the effectiveness of this sleeping mask which looks at elasticity, density and lifting effect with significant improvement. That's all without surgery or filler injections! Being a doctor myself, I always look for research evidence in the usefulness of the product and this ID product is impressive. 

There's an extensive list of ingredients stated on the packaging. I would like to bring your attention to the many botanical extracts used like Shea butter, chondrus ciprus, sugarcane, macadamia, turmeric root, sage, synthetic beewax as well as plant based oils. This harnesses the power of nature and phytonutrients, making it suitable for those with sensitive skin too.

All of these goodness compressed into 30ml.

It's so simple to use. After cleansing, toning and moisturising, just apply the mask on the face (just small amount like in my photo) then gently tap the face to ensure absorption. And let the mask do its magic. It can be used on a daily basis. I do have a big square face so I really look forward to seeing the results.

The texture is more on the creamy, slightly sticky and oily side but easy to spread and doesn't congeal. Surprisingly, my face was not oily at all after application. Even though it's lightly perfumed, there's no significant scent left after a few minutes.

Me a few days after using the mask. My skin felt firmer and smoother. And I did notice a more V shaped face. Time to lose some fat after delivery.

I can't wait to look my best during this CNY with the help of this sleeping mask. My perfect confinement companion besides soiled diapers and wet wipes :p

Want to reap the benefits of a facelift without plastic surgery? Grab your own ID. AZ Face Fit Cu-V Tensioning Sleeping Pack from Watson's now at RM199 (original price)- either from your local store or online.

Northern Malay food review featuring Bummbu Nasi Singgey Kuantan

It's been a while since we met the whole Blogger Pantai Timur gang! Still remember the fun times we had at Bukit Gambang Resort. This time round none other than more culinary delights in Kuantan!

Bummbu Nasi Singgey

A25, Jalan Kurnia Jaya 3, Perkampungan Belukar Maju, 25150 Kuantan, Pahang

https://g.co/kgs/KeFZ6R

Opens daily 10am to 9pm

Facebook page

It's a mere 3 miles into Jalan Gambang. And I didn't even know that there are so many new shoplots around the area. The owner hailed from Besut. Hence the more Northern Malay cooking style. His wife, surprisingly, is one of our fellow health care professionals :) and Bummbu is 5 months new in Kuantan!

This is our first time trying out Northern Malay dishes..So there's quite  few vocabulary that I have to get my head around.

This is their menu. Look at the price tag! It's not easy to find such affordable meal options in Kuantan area anymore.

It's basically broken down into rice vs western dishes.

The sets refer to grill/roast with rice and beverage (choose between syrup water vs iced tea).

One of the blogger friends ordered the grilled chicken set. It came in pyramid shaped packets suitable for dine in or take away.

The plates on the other hand, are the western version of the grill/roast with a serving of curly fries, sweet bun and coleslaw. We ordered their chicken plate.

2 perfectly grilled chicken pieces marinated with turmeric. It's still juicy inside with the skin crispy and sightly charred. The black pepper sauce is just the right thickness and not too overpowering.

Singgang, I have come to know now, are soup varieties of fish/chicken/beef. The soup uses similar herbs and spices like those in sup tulang such as onions, turmeric and lemongrass. All singgang sets come with a serving of rice and beverage. It's definitely a good choice for those with young children.

We also tried their laksa. Springy noodles in aromatic fish broth served with raw cucumber strips and bean sprout. A splash of lime juice made the gravy refreshing. The sambal also has the heavenly taste of lime. Yum!

The serving size here fulfills the suku suku separuh healthy diet guidelines. Good for us Malaysians who really have to cut down our waistline being the fattest country in Southeast Asia.

On sweltering hot days, it's good to try their ice blended beverages. Each comes with a scoop of vanilla ice cream sprinkled with hundreds and thousands, as well as Nata de Coco.

We tried sweet corn, coffee and Milo. Each equally thirst quenching and delicious. The coffee, to note, is on the sweeter side but we prefer more aromatic and bitter one (we can be very choosy when it comes to coffee though).

There are also a good variety of snacks.

My favorite is kopok cheezy.

Classic Malay fish crackers deep fried to golden color with the inside still soft and spongy. The fish cracker here has a higher fish content and it's just the way we love it. First time trying it with cheese dip and the traditional chili sauce. Simply amazing! 1 serving is not enough to satisfy my cravings ha.

Meat balls deep fried and served with a generous portion of chili sauce and mayonnaise. Another crowd pleaser I would say.

Tuna sandwiches. Children will love this. Not spicy with a generous amount of tuna in mayonnaise sandwiched by lettuce, tomato and soft round mini buns.

So our verdict is 7/10! Great stopover for those who feel peckish on the way to visit Kuantan. Something unique and definitely not your common masakan panas.

Every parent’s dream diapers featuring Huggies

Before we had our first baby, year end sales be like- let’s get more new clothes! Since baby Bing’s arrival, the bulk of the household expenses have gone to him. And the conversation has changed to, “ Dear, let’s go to baby fair at so and so! I heard the diapers is really cheap!” Besides the cost factor, of course we want the best diapers for our cheeky monkey.

These are the features that we look for in good diapers

1. Good absorbency
2. Comfort
3. Great elasticity
4. Pants form
5. Value for money

At 2.5years old now, Baby Bing has gone through so many diaper brands and we have finally settled down with Huggies Dry Pants. This is because it fits all the criteria we have in mind. Mind you, we means daddy, mommy and baby Bing! He’s so vocal and insistent now that he chooses his meals, clothes and of course his diapers. Even though he has just started to be toilet trained, he still wears diapers when we go out and during night time.

Let me illustrate the features one by one.

1. Good absorbency
1. 
   
   Having watched this brief video on my Facebook about Huggies, I am not sure you won’t doubt it’s absorbency as Malaysia’s best!
   Watch this video on my Instagram!
2. After using Huggies for 2 years, we have not had a single leaking diapers :)
2. Comfort
1. The material is soft and doesn’t irritate his skin
2. 1000 fast absorbing micro holes help to lock in the wetness to keep dry and happy buttocks. Baby Bing never had problems with diaper rash anymore. And we don’t use barrier cream at all!

3. Great elasticity
1. Baby Bing moved on from L size (for 1 year) to XL size (slightly over a year now). We have just started to use XXL at night.
2. In more technical terms, Huggies features a 5-way comfort fit :)
1. Around the waist (tummy and back), both legs and crotch

3. Upsizing later seriously means that we got more value from the diapers (on average we spent about RM0.60 per piece for XL pants--hehe we are always actively hunting for Huggies promotion!)
3. Pants form
1. If you have seen in person how active baby Bing is, you will understand why we don’t use tape. Because it cannot last for even a few hours! He jumps, runs, dashes, rolls. Just like his Chinese horoscope counterpart- Monkey!
2. Well, trust me. I tried so hard to catch Bing in a still photo wearing his Huggies pants but he would not pose/ stop moving...
4. Value for money.
1. Being able to last longer does not only translate into lower cost, but it also means sanity for parents. Not bedwetting accidents and very few soiling of the pants unless he has very severe diarrhea :(

This is me posing with our boxes of Huggies supply from Newborn all the way to XXL.

Now that we are patiently waiting for the arrival of our second baby, we have already stocked up with NewBorn and Small Huggies tape diapers. Previously we have used other brands for baby Bing because of lack of experience and we have experienced some bad quality ones. But having had the chance to use Huggies, we will never turn back :)

Alright, enough of me talking about qualities of good diapers. Head on now to Huggies official website to grab some of these great diapers!

Travel luxuriously within your budget featuring Wonderfly Asia

I really have my hubby to thank for becoming a wanderlust. Being a very homey person before this, I have no idea how much fun there is to offer in the whole wide world. As young as 3 months old, baby Bing has taken a local flight to Kota Kinabalu. And at 2 years of age, he has been to Singapore, the UK and Vietnam. With the addition of our second boy, we only have more traveling plans! Children learn unbelievably fast with traveling with the reminder of digital photos and videos.

Traveling has really opened our eyes about various culture and practices. It has made us more tolerant and receptive to these differences. We have also learnt to adapt fast in different environment. For example, to navigate through various public transport systems and to communicate effectively with locals. And technology has helped immensely in our travelling plans. If possible, we always try to plan our own itinerary instead of following tour groups. Because planning is part of the fun!

Having Wonderfly Asia on board has made all the planning much easier. It is Malaysia’s Largest Travel Activity Platform across multiple countries. Now there are so many sites available for accommodation booking, it’s time to have a similar site offering tickets at the best available rate for consumers! That’s where Wonderfly came about. As Wonderfly caters more to the needs of South East Asians, it totally fulfills our kiasu-ness in getting the best price offered :p This is sans the hassle of comparing multiple sites.

The types of tickets/services available are

Theme parks- Examples include Hong Kong Disneyland and Ocean Park

Events- Rainforest Lumina (a multimedia night walk in Singapore Zoo)

Festivals- One day Kimono rental in Kyoto

Shows and performances- Jeju horse show (acrobatic Mongolian horse riding performance)

Tours- Tokyo Sky Tree (observation deck)

Zoos/Aquariums- Jurong Bird Park

Tourist/ transportation pass- Singapore EZlink pass (for MRT and buses), Osaka Amazing pass

Pocket wifi and SIM card- Bangkok 4G SIM card (unlimited data for 7 days only at RM28!)

The pricing is competitive and the amount of discount offered varies with the attraction selected. With a few simple mouse clicks, one can skip the long queue to purchase entrance tickets only at a fraction of the price tag. Depending on the attraction, one may either need to only show mobile or printed e-ticket to allow admission.

There are also important information about the attractions such as operating hours, exact address and directions to the attractions using public transport. It also reminds you to bring certain documents for identification purposes.

Of course the destinations are among the most popular ones including Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, South Korea and Japan. I have been to all of the countries listed there with the exception of South Korea. But there’s always chance to revisit when the opportunity arises! Especially when there are good deals like the ones described above.

As if the discounted tickets are not enough, Wonderfly also offers this RM5 credits referral program. Any Wonderfly member can accumulate RM5 credit deposited to their account for each transaction their friends made. The invited friends also get RM5 off their first purchase!

Get your own Wonderfly Asia account today to enjoy the benefits! Register here to get your RM5 off your first purchase.

Official website