Saturday, February 11, 2017

Istanbul - To Do (09Feb2017 Arasta Bazzar, Basilica Cistern)

Istanbul - To Stay
 Istanbul - To Do
Istanbul - To Eat
Istanbul - To Do
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Arasta Bazzar
 Click here for ABBA location of Arasta Bazzar
A little side lane which stretches beside the blue mosque. Here, they sell pretty much similar trinkets found in the grand bazaar.
A quaint alley to walk through with a some eating bistros at the start of it. Worth a pop by if visiting the blue mosque.
Click here for ABBA location of Arasta Bazzar

The Basilica Cistern
Entry goes for 20TL per pax (600TL on 22Feb24 after the renovation)


*Taken 22Feb24*
*Much has changed since the restoration projects with a new discovery of a 70x110xm wide and high 8m channel leading towards the SE was discovered while scraping the original entrance.*
The grating had been lowered with new sculptures and lighting installed to have the full effect of the Cistern. A really nice improvement over the original.
Click here for ABBA location of Basilica Cistern
The basilica cistern is the largest of the Cisterns that lie beneath the city of Istanbul. It was once used to store huge amounts of water for the city.
The place has also been used as a film location in several block buster movies and the medusa pillar was prominently featured in Dan Brown's novel Inferno. Absolutely stunning views and worth the pop-by to view this underground cathedral sized cavern, located a stone's throw away from Hagia Sofia.
Click here for ABBA location of Basilica Cistern
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Thursday, February 9, 2017

Istanbul - To Eat (08Jan2017 Kofteci Ramiz)

Istanbul - To Stay
 Istanbul - To Do
Istanbul - To Eat
Istanbul - To Eat
08Feb2017
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 Kofteci Ramiz 
 (a food chain located in Galleria Shopping Mall 700m across)

Click here for ABBA location of Ramiz located in basement of Galleria Mall
 Located in the basement of the huge Galleria Mall, Ramiz stood out all thanks to Sue's salesmanship really.

Claiming to be an ex-crew of Turkish airline, she knows the walk and talk to cater to the crew's needs. She's even got airline sticker at the counter front.

Sue spent the time explaining the menu to everyone and definitely top service marks, giving a free sampling of bread, dessert and Turkish tea. 
  
 
 
Ordered On:
08Feb2017
 Everyone went for the set. Choice of chicken or lentil soup

 *The Lentil soup was pretty good! Thick, filling and full flavored. The table side spice packs were really interesting. Black for pepper, red for red pepper and green for mixed herb spices. The chicken soup however, diluted and believed to be from a can.
Mixed Meat Grill
*Simple. Nice char on the meat patties. A little salty, but it pairs up nicely with the bread, a little olive oil and the nicly grilled green chili.*
Chicken with rice with serve of rice and salad

The dish taste and looks a little like Nandos. Chicken isn't too dry and fairly decent set meals for a quick bite.
Set meals come with choice of soup and a drink.
Fed 9 at 25Lyras Each with tip
Simple quick eats at reasonable prices. Average set meals about 20TL and meals about 16-18TL. Their chicken is more tender and juicy as compared to Bursa Kebap Evi located across. Their buttered rice too has more ingredients and spices to give the oomph. So stick to the chicken rice plates over at Ramiz.
 Click here for ABBA location of Ramiz located in basement of Galleria Mall

Bursa Kebap Evi
Bursa Kebap Evi is located just across from Ramiz within the B1 of the shopping mall. Communication maybe a little bit of a problem and there was only two sets of menu available. 
Ordered On:
09Feb2017
Bursa Kebap with Egg plant
 *The star and must order. The beef/lamp mixture is served over Pita bread and the small portion is already a lot for a single individual.
Cheese Dessert
*Fried, oily and on the sweet side. It could use more cheese. Interesting for trying but probably not head over heels to order again.*
Total fed 8 at about 30++TL each
The star order is definitely the Bursa Kebap. Nice thinly sliced mix of beef and lamb meats. The topper is the butter sauce which is poured over table side which adds to the richness of the entire dish.
The lentil soup and bread over at Bursa is superior to that of Ramiz. However their chicken here is a little dry. Stick to their singature Bursa Kebap and you can't go wrong.
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Mile High Shot HND 06Feb2017




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Monday, February 6, 2017

Haneda - To Do (04Feb2017 Cup Noodle Museum)

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 Haneda - To Eat 
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Haneda - To Do
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 CupNoodle Museum
600m walk from Yokohama Grand
 04Feb2017
- Entry for adults ¥500

Pretty interesting and probably able to fill about 2hours at most out of your day. The
refundable (¥2000) audio guide is an absolute must to get an understanding of this
influential creation by Momofuku Ando.
There's a short 14min presentation (English audio avail) which pretty much sums up the
whole story behind instant cup noodles. The rest of the displays were fairly creatively
put together and informative, most of which supplementing what was shown in the
video.
The third story is the interactive area with DIY cup noodles and ramen. (A small fee to take home your own ramen cup noodles)
The top floor pretty much has a instant noodle themed play ground and a dining hall featuring Instant noodles in all of its forms.
Only if one was in the area, the cup noodle museum is a small fun little get away which is worth a pop by for an hour or two at most. 
 *The very first instant noodles!*
There's no limit to innovation as Momofuku Ando created the world's first space ramen at the age of 95. 
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Wednesday, February 1, 2017

Sydney - To Eat (01Feb2017recommended by L.CK Sayong Curry and Laksa - Malaysia Cuisine)

Sydney - To Stay
Sydney - To Do
Sydney - To Eat

Sydney - To Eat
01Feb2017
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 Sayong Curry and Laksa
(Opens Mon to Sat)
- Malaysia Cuisine
3min/180m walk
Click here for ABBA location of Sayong Curry and Laksa - Malaysia Cuisine
Want a taste of solid Malaysian cooking for amazing prices? This hidden gem is located through Woolworth back entrance located ground level and down a spiral staircase. Cooks are from Cameroon highlands.

The place was buzzing with the working crowd as of 1300hrs. 
 Any 2 for 7.50 or 3 for 8.50
with choice of white/fried rice/noodles
 Ordered On:18Jan2018
Beef Rendang and Sambal Octopus are THE THING TO ORDER. The only clear winner and getting everyone's approval.
Fed 3 at AUD9.50 Each

Ordered on:
1st Feb2017
Beef Rendang
Amaazzinggg. Soft, tender and creamy. They have just the right amount of sweet and a thing of beauty on a plate with white rice. Damn nice. Only other place outside of Asia which stepped up this humble dish was had at Chin Chin in Melbourne.
Spicy octopus with vegetables
Yeah it is spicy man. Legit chilli heat and can give Shalom (another popular Indonesian restaurant in Sydney) a run for its money. The octopus isn't over cooked and an interesting variation that usually uses squid. Something between a korean/malaysian fusion take on the dish.
Spicy Fish
Nothing special its probably a cheap fresh water fish with more batter than anything else. But the sauce over it is very nice. 
Fed1 AUD8.50
Get ready to sweat and have a bottle of water at the ready. True Malaysian heat and delicious eats. Am not sure of the other selections but the octopus and beef rendang are worth a reorder. The fried rice isn't anything special. 
Nice gem of a find recommended by L.CK. Very nice and worth a revisit most defiantly.
Click here for ABBA location of Sayong Curry and Laksa - Malaysia Cuisine
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