I have a cousin's wife who often throws lavish parties here and I am always the top in her must-invite guest list for my filthy mouthed and racy jokes. I didn't know that it pays to be a gossiper and jester at dinners. She would often have home cooked dinners at home in TTDI complete with finger food, appetizers and main courses served in matching napkins, Noritake Chinas, Euro-cutlery sets and even door gifts!!
Otherwise she would often host at Shangri-la Hotel's Chinese restaurant. Her late grandpa was Penang's philanthropist and tycoon who was better known as the head of Malaya's Chinese Chamber during the Japanese occupation. So generosity and charity still runs in their generations till today.
She changed her last venue to a somber place in KL city which I had never stepped foot upon. A long table was being reserved that evening and I promptly got dressed in my sluttish outfit that night. I drove to town and it was raining in the chaotic traffic along Jalan Sultan Ismail.
Several roads were blocked in major junctions and I could not turn into Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman. I just got off from opposite Sheraton Hotel and walked out with my big umbrella into Jalan TAR. I was surprised to see big crowds in the drizzle crowding near SOGO's front.
Otherwise she would often host at Shangri-la Hotel's Chinese restaurant. Her late grandpa was Penang's philanthropist and tycoon who was better known as the head of Malaya's Chinese Chamber during the Japanese occupation. So generosity and charity still runs in their generations till today.
She changed her last venue to a somber place in KL city which I had never stepped foot upon. A long table was being reserved that evening and I promptly got dressed in my sluttish outfit that night. I drove to town and it was raining in the chaotic traffic along Jalan Sultan Ismail.
Several roads were blocked in major junctions and I could not turn into Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman. I just got off from opposite Sheraton Hotel and walked out with my big umbrella into Jalan TAR. I was surprised to see big crowds in the drizzle crowding near SOGO's front.
I reached the venue after half hour's rain water tasting walk.
The hostess called my mobile and dropped me the disastrous news. The dinner had to be canceled as none of their cars could reach the vicinity. My jaw dropped in disbelief and I squirmed to call the captain. I regained my composure and decided to remain seated in a smaller table. It was my first visit to this much talked about place and should at least try the food. It was after all 8.30pm and the rain was still drizzling outside. I know I looked like a single fool dining alone. The other Japanese and Caucasian diners stared at me but I just put on my natural thick skin to bravely smile back.
Their old Chinese & Bangla waiters looked shabbily dressed in their white uniforms complete with big black buttons! They reminded me of the Chinese comic, Lao Fu Tze! Muahahaha! The service was excellent and polite as if I was in the old days dining with Winston Churchill.
The taste was damn rich and fucking nice!
Have you dined at this famous eatery?
Hi Granny,
ReplyDeleteHow nice if you can just ring me and I would just happily accept to be dining with you FREELY. LOL. Glad that you stayed. It has its reasons to open until today.
sometimes, i love lonely dinner, can enjoy the food ~~^^
ReplyDeleteBeen there a few times yes they do serve nice food. What's wrong with dining alone? Its OK what for a guy. Got a lady colleague who can never have her meals alone, if she is alone would tapao back to office.
ReplyDeleteOMG. The even paraded "50%" and "70%"... looks so stupid. I've not eaten there before. Only dined at "Old China Cafe".
ReplyDeletelooks delicious woh.. can i join you lonely dinner since i has been lonely all the while... (seems so gay)XD
ReplyDeletegrandma doing food review? hehehe
ReplyDeleteC'est la vie ~ Dei you frightened me by commenting first! I thought that Lorong Selamat's aunty has fried and evaporated you into her Char Koay Teow wok! Come back to KL and talk la...
ReplyDeleteXjion89 ~ I love to enjoy my meals with loved ones. The food will taste sweeter and better! No?
BananaZ@ ~ Of course there is nothing wrong to dine alone but not when I was sitting on a long table for a dozen guests. Then pindah to table for 2 pax. So malu la!
William ~ Must be for some expired wares to get 70%. What a bunch of crap and bulls!
ReplyDeleteMy Lonely ~ You are MOST WELCOME! That depends on what time you wake up! LOL...
Medie007 ~ Me doing food review? You pulling my 3rd leg!!! I must learn from William who is a Diva for food review and pimping for kiasu visitors. Ha ha ha!
How does it feel like to dine alone? i never tried that before.. i rather tar pau back.. hahaha..
ReplyDeletethe food looks good, is it costly?
Guess what? I like to dine alone 50% of the time! It's so nice to eat alone without bothering to chit chat with someone else! Haha!!
ReplyDeleteOh I have never been to this restaurant. Wow! Since 1921? I don't know where I was at that time!
ReplyDeleteWow! So rich ah your cousin? But how come go to this restaurant this time? So rich choose a better, more lavish venue lah haha!
ReplyDeleteSo you must have enjoyed your walk in the rain? SO many things to see and took photos some more! Haha
ReplyDeleteWhat a pity no Rhinestone cowboys in there! LOL!!
ReplyDeleteHmmm, the food really nice there? OK must go try one of these days! : )
ReplyDeleteBut what about the price? : )
ReplyDeleteyour dinner looks fantastic....arghhhhhhhh
ReplyDeleteThe Restaurant is 20 mins from my place :) if you called me i would be able to meet you.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, it has been a long time i haven't visited this place. Maybe we should have a blogger gathering one of this day :)
heya ust dropping by again here
ReplyDeletehave a great day ahead
yikes... i thought i left a comment here already...
ReplyDeleteahh me always eating alone haha 100%
ReplyDeleteI'm a loner you know haha so i really prefer to dine in alone if ever i hit a restaurant..
Ox tail soup... hmmm that sounds great... haven't tried it yet..
ReplyDeleteWah wat a nice place! With such history summore. I just love this kind of cafes! :D
ReplyDeletewell... if you had to add 'bloody' and 'fucking' in the comments on food,then i guess it has to be awesome. lol. if i was being stood up and left to dine alone, id avenge it by having a good food time, AFTER i check my pocket.
ReplyDeletei always dine myself ><
ReplyDeletehi, newbie here. This cafe is nostalgic. If the walls can talk you can hear lots of gossips from the good old days. Used to be non halal yet most of the rich malays like to dine here those days. The chicken pot pie (I think) and the curry was to die for. Is the Indian waiter still there, he speaks Hainanese !
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing wrong about dining alone. Only people who are insecure about themselves feel the need to have company all the time.
ReplyDeleteI was there 1988 or 1989...so long ago. Next time I go KL, you take me there - table for two? Wink! Wink! LOL!!!
ReplyDeleteDid they tie a bib around your neck...like a baby? You didn't have the sizzling?
Arumugam always go lavish parties but never bring along Letchumi?? haiyoh, how can that be?? Arumugam afraid that Letchumi will embarrass Arumugam?? while Arumugam is eating wagyu beef steak at lavish restaurants, Letchumi can only eat the yellow ox ribs leftover from the restaurant she works!!! how pity~~
ReplyDeleteaiyoyo!! what kind of Mega Sales launch is that?? so funny, and why Thai costumes and big bananas and big apples?? hahaha, was that one of the RM1.8 million budget promotion activities?? OMG, better save the money to do something else.. Mega Sales launching at Chow Kit and not other high class shopping malls?? :D
ReplyDeleteThambee has already been to this restaurant few times already, but that was like 10 years ago the last time Thambee went there, so they are still there!! Arumugam you know they were the first western restaurant in KL, and many notable people have dined in there before.. i heard Tunku Abdul Rahman brought Queen Elizabeth there too~~
ReplyDeletebut of course now that people go there to savour not the food but the nostalgia feeling.. haha, yellowish white table cloth and napkins, charcoal oven baked house bread, old but experienced waiters.. those are all the trademarks of coleseum you know?? so Arumugam likes that very much?? yay yay yay~~
ReplyDeleteLetchumi says சென்னை தனியார், கோவில் நிலங்களை அபகரித் தோர் மீது, நடவடிக்கை எடுக்க, மாவட்டந்தோறும், "நில அபகரிப்பு தடுப்பு பிரிவை' ஏற்படுத்த, தமிழக அர.. hahahahaha :D
ReplyDeletesorry to hear that the dinner was canceled. I certainly don't mind dining alone and i don't understand why the idea of dining solo can be hard for many people.
ReplyDeletereanaclaire - The food was nice and cost under RM30 for all. I can dine alone at any coffee shops but not that kind of restaurant when I was earlier sitting on the longest table. In the end I had to shift to a small table pula. Malu lah
ReplyDeleteFoongPC - In 1921 you must have been a Panda in Chengdu, chewing bamboo shoots! LOL.. My cousin decided to go there after hearing so much about its history. So get TZ to organize a bloggers' nite there okay? The food is good and the price is cheap for one who sleeps at Bangkok's Dusit Thani Hotel.
Andrik McVean - Yes the food looked good and tasted better!
TZ - Dei, I dunno where you live cos you always won't let me go near your home! Go ahead and organize a Bloggers' Nite there with Panda too.
ReplyDeleteBluedreamer27 - How come you always eat alone 100%...? That is strange that you don't eat with your family or friends sometimes. Go get a girlfriend fast!
Kyh - Please join us if we have gatherings! I would love to meet you !
Coffee Shop - The hostess was kind to tab the bill for my dinner but I declined as it wasn't her fault entirely. It was a nice dining experience and other diners looked at me like comedian Mr.Bean taking so much photos. Kakakakakaka!
ReplyDeleteFuFu Chef - Of course you are in overseas and have to be alone. Come back quick and we will all wait to eat with you after you have cooked all the smiling food!
Anonymous - You seem to know this place so well. I am impressed!
I saw the pot pies too and we need to order 3 days in advance! crazeee!
Thomsonboy - You are right. I felt insecure that night cos I had earlier sat on the long table before shifting to a small table. I didn't know where to hide my face la.
ReplyDeleteSuituapui - Wah you have been there long ago! Yes they still tie the baby's bib on the diner's neck. I didn't realise it is odd until you mentioned now. Come to KL and we will take you to places you have not eaten.
SK Thambee - I wanna slap you for going there a few times and never brought anay along! Dei we go there next time la. Who says I didn't bring Letchumi? She was busy buying saree at Kamdar just down the street and came later la.
I also agree that the Mega Sales should be held at better venues!