Foodie Friday: Thai Buffet Dinner @ Golden Dew Bistro, Ming Garden

Updated: Faster and grab the great deal of this by just RM55 per person instead of RM81.20 from Groupon. Hurry up cause it is limited groupons that being offered!

Sawatdee Kaa สวัสดี! Greetings everyone.

No, I'm not having any vacation in any city of Thailand lately. Although I am missing the craziness of shopping at Bangkok city but I am more missing towards their authentic mouth-watering Thai cuisine cause I couldn't get enough of them when I was in Bangkok last month. And because of that I went and hunt whether is there any other eateries that serve authentic and scrumptious Thai cuisine around Kota Kinabalu city to satisfy my Thai cuisine urges.

Then, I came across where the newly opened hotel that tucked in the heart of Kota Kinabalu city, Ming Garden Hotel is currently spicing up the month of November by serving "Thai Buffet Dinner" at one of their dining area, Golden Dew Bistro that located on the first floor of Ming Garden Hotel, hence immediately I went and have a try on it.

#1: Golden Dew Bistro can accommodated up to 250 people.

#2: An open kitchen where you can witness their chefs display their culinary skills.

Let me show you an assorted buffet spread of authentic and exotic mouth-watering of Thai cuisine that being served:

#3: We started at the appetizer area 

#4: Wide selection of appetizer area

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#6: Clockwise from right: Deep Fried Fish Cake Thai with Spicy Chilli; Thai Green Mango Salad; Crispy Rice Noodle with Beancurd

#7: Whereas for the main dishes, I think there are more than 10 dishes were being served. I am totally being spoil for choices. 

#8: Thai Omelette with Onions and Chilli

#9: Stir Fried Stuffed Squid

#10: Spicy Fresh Clams with Chilli and Basil

#11: Sweet and Sour Vension

#12: Green Curry Chicken

#13: Fresh and scrumptious prawn

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#15: Another Thai signature dishes that must try - Tod Man Pla (Thai Deep Fried Fish Cake) added with Thai Sweet Chilli sauce makes it is so flavorful and simply delicious. 



#16: A soup bar where you could have hot, sour and spicy Tom Yam Gung by added your favourite fillings.

#17: Mussels - According to Tom and Sherrie, this reminds them of Mr Bean.

#18: Salad and condiments area

If you're not into spicy foods, don't worry cause they served other type of cuisine.

#18: Western Cuisine where you could have Chicken Lasagna, Fried Chicken Wings and more.

#19: Bread and soup area

#20: Sushi! I can't take my eyes off my favourite sushi - Inari. Love the other sushi rolls too that topped with fresh fruits such kiwi, mango and dragon fruits.

Finally, for a sweet tooth person like me, if without visiting the dessert area, it's totally a sin for me.

#21: A hot dessert selection such Bubur Pulut Hitam and Longan Beancurd

#22: Assorted of spongy and colourful cakes

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#26: Scoop as many as you want. Plenty of flavours available such as Strawberry, Yam, Chocolate, Peppermint. 

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#29: Look at Sherrie's plate - It's filled with a ray of distinctive meals.

The only thing that I'm a lil bit dissapointed was I couldn't find any of these three popular Thai signature dishes - Pineapple Fried Rice, Mango Stinky Rice and Pandan Chicken. But overall, I'm totally satisfied with more than 30 dishes that being served. Almost all the meals perfectly meet my liking and most importantly, freshness is the ultimate criteria when comes to buffet. Sometimes I wish I could have a huge tummy to have all of these spicy authentic Thai cuisine. 

Thai Buffet Dinner is served daily throughout the month of November from 6.30 pm - 10.30 pm at Golden Dew Bistro with the price of RM70.00++ per pax.

MING GARDEN HOTEL

Lorong Ming Garden,

Jalan Coastal 88000 Kota Kinabalu,

Sabah, Malaysia.

Check out their blog too:
Sherrie Pui - http://cutebun.blogspot.com/2012/11/thai-international-buffet-ming-garden.html

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Singapore Day 2 - Fruits Paradise Cafe

Date of Visited: 27th September 2011

After done with all the fun-packed and excitement at Universal Studio Singapore, we didn't went back our hotel immediately. My sister suggested to have movie and because boyfie and I are movie freaks (both of us love watching movie at cinema so much), hence both of us agreed with my sis's plan. We had our late lunch at Food Republic which located once we came out from the Sentosa Express. In case you haven't heard of Food Republic, it is a food court chain and it's quite famous in Singapore. And if you happen to visit KL Pavilion, you might stumble upon one at the basement level. No photo was taken cause 4 of us were so hungry to the max - imagine having our breakfast around 10 am and having fun until 5 pm plus, then only we had our late lunch.

Since our movie time was at 9.30pm, therefore we ventured around VivoCity Shopping Mall in order to kill our time.

#1: Spotted Uniqlo but came out with nothing cause they are preparing for winter wear. No suit for Malaysia weather.

Round and round VivoCity for few times, I told my sis that this cafe with interesting interior caught my attention. Hence, we decided to settle down here. Besides bored, we actually also look for some place to sit down.

#2: A dessert shop and for a sweet tooth person like me, how could I resist myself from enter here.

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#4: Look how gorgeous their fruit tart display. By just looking at the display, it already makes our saliva drooled.

#5: So many fruit tarts to choose from and we're hardly to decide which to have. 

#6: After a lil discussion with my sis, finally we picked Chocolate Banana tart. Well, actually I am the one who pick this cause I think banana always goes well with chocolate. And we only picked one cause we're still full from our late lunch plus, both of our boyfriend were not really into dessert. So basically, this one is sharing among my sis and I only.

#7: But then, they cut into such a very thin slice. Luckily my sis and I can consider are small eater and it was enough for us. Relating to the taste of this tart, it was pretty delicious with the freshness of banana and tart itself. The tart is firm and sweet filled with generous amount of banana.

Not a bad experience actually. Might plan for another visit if I am going Singapore again. Besides VivoCity Shopping Mall, Fruits Paradise cafe also available at other area of Singapore city such as in Raffles City, Ochard Central and Plaza Singapura.

My second day in Singapore ended by watching Johnny English. Until now, I still laugh out loud especially the part where Johnny was being controlled by the villain and waved his hands up part. Damn funny! Oh ya! Regarding Singapore's cinema, I'm not sure whether it is same or different, but the one I went was the cinema hall is so freaking huge and they even have plenty of seats for the disabled person. Malaysia's cinema has too but only two seats in each of the hall for them. Malaysia oh Malaysia!

Fruits Paradise Cafe
1 Harbourfront Walk
#01-59 Vivo City

By the way, it's Halloween Day today. Has any of you dress up yourself in spooky and scary costume? Frankly speaking, I'm not interested with that cause I'm more interested with Baskin Robbins 31. Too bad KK doesn't has any Baskin Robbins outlet. =(

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Singapore Day 2 - Universal Studio

Date of Visited:  27th September 2011

Day 1 - Jetstar, Clarke Quay & Fullerton Hotel

What I anticipated the most on the second day during my trip to Singapore last year has finally arrived. This was the main highlight that I visited Singapore again. Non-other than the newly opened theme park, Universal Studio Singapore which has been widely spoken. Universal Studio Singapore is first movie theme park in South East Asia and the second in Asia after the one in Japan (which I didn't had the chance to visit due to time constraint during my trip to Japan in 2010.)

Early morning, my sister and her boyfriend came to our hotel and brought us breakfast like McD and also dim sum before depart to Universal Studio cause there is no breakfast included in our hotel. Singapore's McD burger is just the same like in Malaysia but they have this "Garlic Chilli Sauce". Makes my burger so tasty and flavourful.

Once we done with our breakfast, we went to the MRT Lavender station which just few minutes away from our V Hotel Lavender and exchanged line to the HarbourFront station. Once we arrived the HarbourFront Station, we then proceeded to 3rd floor of VivoCity Shopping Mall to take Sentosa Express before entering the theme park. The journey from our hotel to the theme park is very convenient with the accessible of this MRT. If you have Ez Link card with you, you can use it to access into the Sentosa Express for a flat fee of $3 only.

#1: Resort World Sentosa Singapore map

If you are interested to stay inside this Resort World Sentosa where the Universal Studio Singapore is located, there are 6 unique hotels you can choose from such as Hard Rock Hotel, Hotel Michael, Festive Hotel and more. Initially I plan to stay at one of the hotel for a night but frankly speaking, just for a night only, it totally hurt my purse so well. So, I just forgone this plan of mine and wait till I hit jackpot someday. =P

#2: Boyfie and I in front of the Universal Globe

#3: Got the tickets and we can't wait to enter Universal Studio Singapore

If not mistaken, when I check through online, the admission fee to enter Universal Studio is $68, but because my sister's boyfriend is Singaporean and they have this special discount rate to Singaporean, so ended up, we just paid $52.80 per pax. We saved a lot from there, if you convert back to Malaysia Ringgit.

Just like any other theme park, Universal Studio Singapore is divided into seven distinctive zone area.

Hollywood

Hollywood is the first theme area that you came across once you enter the main entrance of the park. At here, we experienced the dynamic Hollywood iconic architecture, the swaying palm trees and replica of the world most famous Hollywood Walk of Fame - makes we felt like A-list celebrities.

#4: Big sign of Hollywood once you enter the main entrance

#5: Welcome to Hollywood zone area

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#7: Universal Studios Store where I always can't help myself from entering them.

In this zone area, you won't find any exciting ride but it featured the best of the broadway-style entertainment, tucked by several restaurants and a variety of merchandise stores.

TIPS: If you like to buy their signature souvenirs especially that come in a big size, I advise that you only purchase them when you about to exit. You don't want to drag all those big souvenirs with you around the theme area which could make you so inconvenient and not comfortable, right?

New York

Right after Hollywood zone area and turn to right-side, this is where the New York zone area located. In my opinion, this is the smallest zone area among the others with one attraction and 2 restaurants only. All the classic landmarks are here - the city skylines, neon lights, and facades that reveal the true of this Big Apple city.

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#9: Yellow cab is the main highlight in New York zone area

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Sci-Fi City

Next, we enter through the impressive portals of Sci-Fi City theme area where it features a vibrant metropolis with all the ultimate modern conveniences. Here, we saw a huge, high and exciting but yet scary ride. It is known to be home of the world's tallest pair of dueling roller coaster.

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#12: Battlestar Galastica ride - Looks quite scary and I didn't try it.

#13: Too bad for us that this Transformers Ride only start to operate in December. Has anyone try this ride before? How's it feels like?

Ancient Egypt

Standing tall and huge Egyptian statues right in front of us, no doubt that we had reached the Ancient Egypt theme area. Ancient pyramids and obelisk is also features in this theme area which is based on the popular film franchise, The Mummy, staring by Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz. One of the highly recommended ride is "Revenge of The Mummy" - a high-speed psychological thrill ride that not just only plunge into darkness, plagued with all sides of huge fireballs, swarms of scarab bettles and an army of warrior mummies but it has sudden fast reverse ride. 

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The Lost World

The Lost World theme area is based on the world popular blockbuster by Steven Spielberg, Jurassic Park - so expecting to see different kind of dinosaurs featured in here. The two highlights in this area are the "Canopy Flyer" which is a suspended 4-seater roller coaster that can enjoy a prehistoric bird's-eye view that glides over the tree tops and "Jurassic Park Rapid Adventure" - a river rapids ride version.

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Far Far Away

A theme area that consists a tall and graceful caste, a fantasy fairy-tale characters such as talking donkey,  flaming dragon, fairy godmother and also green ugly ogre by the name of Shrek. This theme area is inspired by non other than the Shrek franchise movie. The attraction that shouldn't miss out when in Far Far Away theme area is "Shrek 4-D Adventure" - where you not only see, hear but also feel the action right from the seat.

#22: Welcome to the fairy-tale land - a zone area which makes us felt like we're the prince and princess.

#23: Shrek 4-D Adventure is highly recommended. We did felt bored when enter the first main hall but once we sat on the seat, the 4-D was pretty interesting.

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#25: The annoying talking donkey and can you spot the Ginger Bread?

Madagascar

Last but not least, let's us sing "I'm Like To Movin', Movin" to this final theme area of Universal Studio Singapore. Inspired by the franchise movie using the same name which features four animals which escaped from the zoo into the dense tropical jungles in the island by the name of Madagascar. 

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#29: I always love to take photo with monkeys.

#30: The four animals that escape from the zoo and crashed into Madagascar; Marty, Alex, Gloria and Melman.

TIPS:

1. Most of the high speed rides such as Battlestar Galastica in the Sci-Fi City zone area and Revenge of the Mummy in the Ancient Egypt zone area are not allowed bags and personal belongings to be on board. Therefore, you might need to place in the lockers for a nominal fee or just you can do like what my sister and I did, we took turn to take the ride. We can do so because there is no many people queue for the ride.
2. Halal restaurants are available in the theme park. You can find halal restaurant in these following zone area; Hollywood, Ancient Egypt, Far Far Away and Madagascar. 
3. If you are vegetarian, no worries! There are many vegetarian choices provided in most of the zone area.  

After spending almost 5 hours, we decided to bid goodbye cause we started to feel a lil bit exhausted. Thank goodness the day we visited the theme park was not so crowded and we managed to cover as many area as we want. Mainly because it was on weekday. But the cons side was we couldn't took photo with any of their characters. Guess they are only appear on weekend.

#31: Before we left, we visited the chocolate store which just situated beside the Universal Studio. We didn't bought any chocolates mainly because we are not chocolate lovers.

#32: Goodbye Universal Studio Singapore. Goodbye Sentosa Island. Hopefully we will see again someday.

How To Get To Universal Studio Singapore:

Head to HarbourFront station on the North-East Line MRT Rail System. Upon reaching, walk into VivoCity Shopping Mall and proceed to 3rd floor and take Sentosa Express. Get down from Waterfront station.

[Credit To: Wikipedia]

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