Korean Lunch | Daebak Cafe Kuantan Unpaid Review

It can be quite a rare occasion to have enough lunch time to enjoy a cuppa in a local cafe during weekdays. The task becomes even more difficult to have 2 young children in tow during weekends. So we were fairly lucky to be able to try these Korean lunch menus at Daebak cafe recently.

Daebak Cafe
Jalan Taman Beserah, 25300 Kuantan, Pahang
017-914 8747
https://g.co/kgs/rzkAAm

This cafe is owned by a Korean lady. When it first started up, the menu was mainly about coffee, certain special beverages, waffles and its famous crepe cake. So far, we have really positive experience dining here so we were really excited to introduce their lunch menu to everyone. 

The atmosphere in the dining area was calm and soothing. Great for a few hours of chit-chatting and relaxation. 

These are the lunch menu options:

Muesli raisin toast

Topokki 

Ramen and rice ball

Cream soup + toast

Smoked salmon salad

Kimbab roll

Spicy chicken rice

Rappoki noodles

Smoked chicken salad

Bibimbab rice

Bulgogi rice

Japcha

Croissant sandwich (cheese & tomato, egg& potato, smoked chicken, smoked salmon)

We ordered 3 different types of coffee. The coffee blend here is just the right flavour for me aromatic yet not too bitter or sour. Or what Mr husband would call as full body.The beauty of having coffee is that it's practically sugar free and only contains the calorie of the milk. 

Latte- hot

Cappuccino

Cold latte

In terms of the dishes, we ordered the following:

Topokki is Korean rice cake which is slightly sticky and chewy. I love how much the onions add to the sweetness of the dish and balance out the spiciness of the sauce. The fish cake and hard boiled egg complements the dish perfectly. The sauce if also of generous amount. 

Japcha is a vegetarian dish. Glass noodles with springy texture mixed with bak choy, mushrooms, julienned carrots, black fungus and onions. It has the fragrance of sesame oil. Even though it looks heavy, but it's actually quite refreshing and light in flavour.

Spicy chicken rice. I love how wholesome this dish is. An average portion of rice with spicy chicken strips stir fried with cabbage and onions. Crispy seaweed salad adds crunch to it. And it also comes with a sunny side up egg. 

Of course we have to try their signature crepe cake. My favorite is the original flavor but only matcha was available that day. The green tea is surprisingly good and not too sweet. The cake was light and the layers add texture. 

Overall our verdict is 8/10! Lovely cafe with great food and coffee. Although we would love more meat in the food though :p 

Comprehensive skincare | Dr Eslee product review

Dr Eslee is founded by Prof Lee from Korea. We are so lucky that it's now available in Malaysia as well. It's a skincare brand made and also used by doctors. It's in fact currently sold in more than 670 dermatology clinics. Dr Eslee's products also embrace the principles of evidence based medicine which only uses the most effective ingredients proven by relentless research.

Dr Eslee's products are made of eco-friendly phytonutrients. These ingredients are plant based and sourced from quality suppliers all around the world. Read more about the power of phytonutrients in my previous post here. Not only do phytonutrients make good supplements, but they are also great skinfood. Of course, the products are also free from potential allergens like parabens, SLS/SLES, chemical UV absorbers and artificial fragrances.

Let me bring you through the step by step way of complete skincare using Dr Eslee products. Note that the following products are useful for people who have combination skin like me. I have dry face. Yet my T zone is often oily with clogged pores causing acne and blemishes.

1. Cleanse/exfoliate
-Wash foam
-Enzyme wash doubles as face cleanser and as scrub if less water is used. Suitable to be used 2-3 times a week

2. Tone
-AC skin lotion is a convenient 3 in 1 product (toner, moisturiser & skin colour toning)

3. Anti acne
- Intensive care gel applied on the blemish

4. Moisturize
-Enriched water gel
-Hydra emulsion or drynix lotion (oil based moisturiser)seal skin moisture off

5. Sun protection
- Physical Sunscreen contains SPF50 which is more than enough to protect our skin from photoaging

6. Conceal
-Intensive blemish balm functions to reduce scar appearance and acts as foundation with UV protection

Besides this, Dr Eslee also has different range of skincare for various skin types- oily, dry, combination, aging and lastly sensitive/eczema prone skin. One can either purchase the products in their normal sizes or just in cute sachets like the ones I show in the photos. Excellent size for traveling. Each sachet is conveniently packed for single use.

What does Dr Yingzangel think?

Dr Eslee's products provide a complete solution for almost all skin problems. If you go through their website, they also include many useful advice for skincare tailored to skin types. It's not just skin deep! If you are like me, with no time for so many skincare steps, Dr Eslee also has products that are multifunctional.

Being a doctor, I fully realised how important it is to put evidence based medicine into my daily practice. And Dr Eslee is exactly following the same philosophy. This makes me trust the products even more. Made of natural plant based ingredients, I don't need to worry about possible allergic reactions.

Interested to find out more?

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As my readers, quote NJQFJH to get 20% off your first purchase! 

Getting Phytonutrients using Natural Plant Extract |Bio-Nutricia Extract Product Review

As our healthcare system improves its service, people are living longer and healthier. So non infectious diseases or what we call lifestyle diseases are becoming more and more common. The 3 highs such as high sugar (type 2 diabetes mellitus), high blood pressure and high cholesterol become the main concern. Therefore, the mainstay of the treatment being a good diet rich in vegetables and fruits. This is also what is more technically called as phytonutrients.

Phytonutrients or plant food is a more complete way to 'supplement' our diet instead of individual minerals or vitamins. This is because various research has shown the significant benefit of consuming whole food. Examples of phytonutrients include carotenoids, flavonoids, resveratrol and phytoestrogens. To understand more about phytonutrients, read this interesting article on WebMD.

However promising the research results may seem, please note that phytonutrients do not and cannot fully substitute the need for proper medication and follow up in most patients. But they can be useful and safe adjuncts. Many studies have been done but mostly not in huge numbers (less than a hundred subjects), use animal models or only deal with molecular structures.

Therefore, it can be difficult to determine how great the effect is, the dose required and whether the result can be generalised to the whole population. On the contrary, medications are tested in at least thousands of patients in terms of efficacy and safety before it's widely used.

Bionutriciae natural plant extract concentrates are produced with the most stringent standards using fresh leaves. It aims to preserve freshness yet to save the trouble of extracting the juice manually in the kitchen which often requires long hours of cooking and multiple tedious steps. This is very useful for full-time working mothers like me who want to put good quality food on the table using the least time. We are talking about dinner ready in 30-60minutes.

There are 4 main plant extracts available- Pandan, Butterfly Pea Flower, Roselle Hibiscus and Lemongrass. These products fulfill quality food production standards such as GMP, FDA and HACCP. Read about these quality assurance bodies in my previous post here.

Fresh Natural Pandan Extract Concentrate

Our Pandan Barley Soup makes a refreshing and healthy afternoon tea whether served cold or hot.

Pandan as known as vanilla of the East, is no stranger to most Asian kitchens. It's widely used in many dishes and desserts for it's attractive green colour and fragrant smell as well as flavour.

Containing many flavanoid compounds, pandan neutralizes acidic pH found in kidney diseases, has anti-oxidant properties, detoxification properties,  improves stamina and boosts energy levels. It may also prevent surging in blood sugar levels, reduces risk of depression and anxiety. 

Fresh Natural Butterfly Pea Flower Extract Concentrate

Homemade blue rice makes it more appetizing.

Butterfly Pea Flower gives an attractive blue colour from anthocyanin phytonutrient. When added with some acid such as a squeeze of lemon, the colour turns from midnight blue to violet then pink. It is a popular tea/beverage in Malaysia, Thailand , Indonesia and Philippines. Certain food such as pulut inti, nasi kerabu and nyonya dumplings uses Butterfly Pea Flower aka Bunga Telang as natural colouring. 

Not only is this visually pleasing, but it also contains water soluble anthocyanins which has antioxidant properties as well as the ability of enhancing vision,  reducing inflammation, controlling blood sugar, reducing the risk of heart attacks and preventing cancer formation. 

Fresh Natural Roselle Hibiscus Extract Concentrate

Sponge cake in progress with Roselle swirl baked by my mom.

Roselle aka Red Sorell has been traditionally used to treat urinary tract infections, cold and hangovers. It can also be made into beverage or jam. As the color remains stable with high heat, it is widely used in pastry baking as well.

Roselle is high in Vitamin C, anthocyanin which gives its brilliant red hue. It also has antioxidants and lowers starch absorption which helps in weight loss. 

Fresh Natural Lemongrass Extract Concentrate

Flavoursome home cooked curry laksa 

Beside being used in cooking curries, tomyam, soup and laksa, lemongrass can also be drank as tea. It can also be found in essential oils especially to repel insects and mosquitoes.

Lemongrass is high in citral which is the key of its flavor and smell. The phenolic and flavanoid compounds in lemongrass are strong antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. It can also lower cholesterol and sugar. 


What does Dr Yingzangel think?

I have two young children at home and it can be a real struggle to get them to take their fruits and vegetables. However, these natural plant extracts have such great flavours and interesting colour that makes preparing food and consuming them so much fun. I often get my eldest to be involved in preparing his own meal so he really appreciates the whole process and gain some skills necessary for basic survival. Not only did we drink the extracts on their own, we also add them to our food as depicted above -- my boy really thinks it's magic!

Interested?
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Nursing Away from Home made easy | Adrini's Nursing Inner Review

Breastfeeding is a beautiful thing and one of the aspects that I totally enjoy as a mother of 2. Because it gives me a sense of being able to meet the needs of my children. Not only does it nourishes them physically but the bossom also provides a strong sense of security and helps them to build a secured attachment to me as a mother. As I weaned my eldest from the breast when he was 2years and 8months because tandem nursing can be tough, I felt a sudden emptiness and guilt that I can no longer be as closed to him anymore.

Therefore, nursing friendly clothes allow me to nurse freely in the public. As natural as it is for us adults to eat when we are hungry, young babies also need to feed whenever and whereever they are famished! It may not be feasible to find a secluded spot/ nursing room/ get into my car to feed the baby who is screaming his heads off wanting to feed. Note here, both my boys hate nursing cover so I have never used one. They will refuse to feed and make even a bigger fuss.

There are various styles of nursing clothes available in the market. Some includes a double hidden flap, some with zips. This allows us to maintain modesty without exposing too much of the tummy when lifting up the clothes for a quick feed in the public.

Adrini's is a Malaysian brand that offers many comfortable and stylish maternity and nursing clothes for mothers. I was honoured with the chance to try their nursing inner recently.

I love how bright the color of orange is this Adrini's nursing inner.
This series of inner wear comes in many colors including army green, black, orange and red. It's stylish, the material soft and comfortable. In our Malaysian tropical weather, this nursing inner is also airy and absorbs sweat easily without compromising on the thickness of the shirt so that it's not seen through easily. Not only that it also enhances our feminine figure/silhouette perfectly.

Besides that, the Adrini's nursing inner needs very minimal care. It's machine washable, dries fast under the sun. The Adrini's inner doesn't wrinkle much and no ironing is required!

What does Dr Yingzangel think?

I think the Adrini's nursing inner is an essential item in the wardrobe for nursing mothers. It's beautiful, easy to wear, modest yet stylish. And it makes breastfeeding in and away from home so effortless and elegant. Additionally, because it's long in design, it also makes me look slimmer.

Importantly, it's easy and fast to reveal the nipples for quick access while breastfeeding. No fiddling before my boy loses patient while waiting as there are no buttons or zips. The design also offers double protection to avoid maybe not so innocent passerbys from revealing our precious asset. There's overlapping material both sideways and from above, making nursing cover redundant.

The Adrini's nursing inner is also versatile. It can be worn on its own without appearing too baggy or too pyjamas-like. Pairing with a buttoned up cardigan, it's also suitable for a shopping trip or even office wear. As for the bottoms, it looks great with skirts, tights or slacks. At the price tag of RM40 each piece, it's indeed value for money.

After trying out this nursing inner, I'm so tempted to acquire a few other nursing wear designs such as Adrini's long flowing maxi dress and Ranaerissa by Adrini's (long sleeved nursing top suitable for work wear). 

Besides nursing wear, Adrini's also has its range of modern looking maternity wear and Muslimah fashion such as baju kurung modern, kebaya and matching suits with pants for a shrewd corporate look. The Raya collection is definitely worth owning as well. Browsing through their Instagram makes me feel like owning almost each clothing article. Mommies can also get great children wear like unisex hoodie and cute lacy dresses.

So, mothers, head on to Adrini's to get your own nursing clothes now. Or dear spouses, buy some as a surprise gift for her birthday/ anniversary. She will love you for it!

Adrini's official website
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Home remedy for neck strain | Sneapy Neck Massager Review

The nature of my job makes neck strain a common problem. Unfortunately most of the hospital beds and cardiac tables are old and cannot be adjusted to height. So we are often forced to work in a hunched position for a long period. In the outpatient clinics, we are needed to sit for long periods and write lengthy and repetitive documentations about patients' health conditions. Due to the sheer number of patients, we don't even have time to stretch.

It's heavenly to come home and receive this great gift from Sneapy- a home neck massager! Just the right tool to wind ourselves down after a long day at work!

Sneapy is an online platform that sells various creative home solutions as well as innovative gift ideas. I have reviewed Sneapy gift cards- great to record and send your wishes to others online. Read my previous post here.

This intelligent cervical vertebrae massage instrument comes in an A4 sized box like this.

The back of the box explained what the product actually does.
-Electric impulse massage mode
-Heat moxibustion
-Magnetic effect
-High frequency vibration massage
-Annular traction

These are the correct technical terms of how the massager can help to relax the neck muscles as well as to improve blood circulation. It also helps to relieve neck stiffness.

Unboxing the neck massager reveals this following cool components
- the massager
- a graphic manual of use
- USB charging cable
- extension cables and sticky pads for upper back massage
- aloe vera gel
- remote control
- spare mercury battery

The designs of the neck massager is sleek. It's easy to grip, not too bulky or heavy to hold in the hand.

How to use the instrument?

Firstly switch on the massager. The button is at the bottom of the device. I love the elegant slit blue light indicating the product is switched on.

Attach the massager to the neck. Make sure the buttons are facing the floor.

It's important to note that for the device to function properly, the neck needs to be free from things such as necklaces. Wet the back of the neck with warm towel/the aloe vera gel provided so the metal electrodes are directly adhered to the back of the neck. Just like how it's shown in the photo. Or else the massager may not work properly. Worse even, the impulses delivered may feel like tiny doses of sharp electric shocks to the neck.

This is how big the massager looks like when it's on my neck.

The following parameters can be adjusted while enjoying the neck massage using the remote control. I'll suggest to start with low levels whole accustoming yourself to the function of the massager.

- Strength of impulses
- Strength of massage
- Duration of massage (In minutes)
- Level of local heat application
- Frequency of vibration

Since it's so lightweight, the neck massager can be brought along while traveling and give a good neck massage during long distance driving. It really helps because I get bad neck strains focusing too much on the road for long hours. Just setup the device before you start driving. It's hands free otherwise.

We all know how relaxing a massage is and can lull people to sleep. But please do not wear this massager to sleep or wear it in the shower because it's nevertheless an electronic device. It may be dangerous to do so.

Ran out of battery? No worries. The device, once charged using the USB cable attached, can work up to 2 hours. This is more than enough for a hands free and mobile massage session.

Just having a neck massage is not enough because I often get upper back muscles strain too. That's due to my bad habit of hunching both standing or seated. What's beautiful about this device is that 2 extra sticky reusable electrodes can be attached to the upper back or even your forearms to extend the massage to those areas.

Interested to grab one of these trendy next massagers? It's a great gift for yourself, your spouse and also your parents. Father's day is coming up soon. So if you have been gifting one too many ties or watches, maybe it's time to consider something cool yet practical like this neck massager.

Sneapy Neck Massager Official Link

Cellise Energising Honey Serum Review | the 1st Ionized Honey Serum In Market

Do you know that honey is the beauty secret of the ancient Egyptian Cleopatra? It's rightly so because of its nourishing properties. Not only is it a great food and an energy booster when consumed, it also has healing, anti-oxidant, humectant and antibacterial properties which makes honey a great skin food. No wonder Cellise is bringing high quality Manuka honey into their serum!

Cellise is an Australian brand. Led by Dr Kals Nathan, his team with anti-aging scientists, aesthetic physicians and cosmetologists made Cellise Energising Honey Serum in 2015. Dr Nathan is, interestingly, a specialist in wound care management who has conducted extensive research in the use of Manuka honey in wound healing in the form of LUKKA lotion. Mr husband, who is also an emerging wound care specialist in Malaysia, also uses Manuka honey for many of his patients with diabetic foot ulcers.

More about Cellise Honey Serum:

(1) The 1ST Ionized Honey Serum In the Market
(2) SAFE, NATURAL, ORGANIC
(3) Using Manuka Honey enzyme, Mild but effective
(4) MULTIPURPOSE (For Eyes, Lips, Face)
(5) Negative Ions help to strengthen and restore skin cell activities.
(6) Suitable to all skin types included sensitive skin.

Manuka Honey with MGO400+ grading contains high concentration of Negative Ions (stable Oxygen atoms) to deliver oxygen effectively to skin cells, increases formation of collagen and neutralizes free radicals formation which leads to cell damage and aging. All the ingredients are 100% natural, safe and Australian certified Organic, Cosmo Organic, Cosmo Natural and approved by National Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agent (NPRA) in Malaysia.

What does it mean by ionising?
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The story behind this is intriguing. With years of research, Dr Nathan managed to make skin cells regenerate and function at its maximum potential. The cells are activated via a process called ionizing which provides energy to the powerhouse in the cells called mitochondria. This pathway is named as Electric Cooperation between cells which has something technical dealing with action potential and ion channels on the cell surface.

How to apply Cellise Honey Serum?

1. Cleanse skin
2. Shake the serum bottle for 10 seconds before use to activate the negative ions
3. Apply serum
--Dispense 1 pump and apply using finger tips to the whole face and neck for normal, oily or combination skin
-- 2 pumps, leave for 10 minutes then rinse off for dry and acne prone skin.
4. Moisturize as usual.
5. Apply every night.


Watch this YouTube video below for a detailed explanation.

What does Dr Yingzangel think?

I have tested it. It smells just like a good pot of honey. When applied at night just before sleep, the skin felt so soft and supple. It's not sticky like normal honey though and it doesn't attract ants in case you wonder. My skin also stops having breakouts. Not only that, I can apply this serum on the face, around the eyes as well as the lips instead of having different products.

How can I not share this good stuff with you? Now one of you stand a chance to win a bottle of Cellise Honey Serum!

1. Like @Cellise FB
2. Share my post and set to public.
3. Comment on my FB post: I want to try #CelliseHoneySerum

The lucky winner will be announced on 14/6/19. Good Luck!

IG: @cellisemalaysia
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2 Syawal Yang Dipertuan Agong Open House Istana Abdul Aziz Kuantan

Early in the morning, I asked baby Bing who just woke up from sleep-- do you want to go to the palace and see the King? He was so excited and immediately gave the affirmative. That's after an awesome experience during the MB's Open House on 1 Syawal. So that's our very first visit to the Sultan Abdul Aziz palace at Indera Mahkota, Kuantan, Pahang. As the current Sultan is also Yang Dipertuan Agong, we were expecting a huge crowd!

The palace office was kind enough to arrange for additional parking spaces at the Kotasas gallery as well as the International Islamic University of Malaysia. We chose the latter because it was just 8 minutes' drive away from home. As usual, we left about half an hour early because with 2 boys in tow, we needed to avoid most of the crowd. There was frequent shuttle vans from the parking lots heading to the palace. The late King had just deceased during the month of Ramdhan, so we observed the solemn period of mourning by wearing colors like black, white and dark blue.

The palace was magnificently built on top of a slight hill. We loved the sky blue exterior. We were led from the front yard to the side yard which overlooked the rest of Kuantan Town by the pool side.

Many white tents were set up for the Rakyat to dine in. The weather was slightly cloudy and at one point it started to drizzle a little but we were glad that only lasted during the first 30 minutes.

Food wise, there was chicken rendang (fried and braised), beef rendang, ketupat, lemang, satay, achar, tomato rice, fried noodles and fried kuantan teow. There were also assorted kuih such as kuih bahulu, peanut cookies, chocolate cookies and kuih semperit.

Dessert can't run away from everyone's favourite icicles as well as cakes. Even though it's cooked in bulk, I would say overall the food was splendid and just had the right balance of spices and flavours. Even baby Bing was starting to accept the spicy chicken rendang.

The highlight of the event was wefie with the Yang Dipertuan Agong, Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'atatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah. We were so star struck by the end of it and were pleasantly surprised at how approachable He was. He even casually asked Bing whether his icicle was tasty or not.

Children always have the most fun during festive seasons. Besides roaming around the palace grounds, they were also blessed by the King's duit Raya. Long Live the King!

There's the exhausted baby Bing hugging his blessings to sleep. That marked our 2 extraordinary Raya Open Houses in 2019!