Eating Etiquette of the Muslim

After the briyani excursion, we stopped by Masjid Negara for prayers and terawih.  The mosque was lovely.
My first terawih ever here. Alhamdullillah~~ 

Since the author of this blog is a muslim girl who is always on the path to self-improvement, she would like to stick in a special entry here as a reminder to herself and her little group of readers, with the hopes that some great benefit would come out of it. After all, the path to success is already well-defined. It is through the example of the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w). And may it be that the small effort that we put in through these small practices, will enable the Prophet (s.a.w) to recognize us as his loyal followers on the Day when we need every single help we can get.

From Salman, Allah's Messenger (s.a.w) said: The blessing of food is (received) by washing the hands before and after taking it. (Tirmidhi, Dawud).

Cleanliness is very important in Islam.

Umar b Abu Salalama said: "I was under the care of Allah's Messenger and my hand used to pick at random in the dish, so Allah's Messenger said to me: Invoke the name of Allah, and eat with your right hand, and eat what is near you". (Muslim)

Be grateful with what is presented to you.

From Abu Huraira: "Allah's Messenger never found fault with food. If he liked something he ate it, but if he disliked it, he (just) abstained from it". (Muslim) 

So you'll probably see from now on, me only recommending good food. But I will still fire the restaurant if I feel like it :P

Anas said that the Allah's Messenger (s.a.w) said: Allah is indeed pleased with His servant who, when he eats a morsel, praises Him for it, or drinks a sip and then praises Him for it". (Muslim)

Be a grateful servant of Allah-- always.

From Umar: Allah's  Messenger (s.a.w) said: "Eat together and do not separate, for the blessing is in the company". (Ibn Maja)

A family that eats together, sticks together. 

From Abu Huraira: Allah's Messenger (s.a.w) said: "Food for two is sufficient for three and food for three is sufficient for four".

Avoid waste. Share. 

From Ja'far b Muhammad, from his father: Allah's Messenger (s.a.w) when he ate with other people, was usually the last to finish eating. (Baihaqi)

Put others first when eating.

Aisha said that Allah's Messenger (s.a.w) said: When any one of you eats, he should invoke the name of Allah the Exalted. If he forgets to invoke the name of Allah the Exalted at the beginning, he should say (when he remembers): In the name of Allah, in its beginning and it's end (Bismillahi Awalahu wa Akhiru). (Abu Dawud, Tarmidhi)

And that is the whole purpose of our creation-- worship Allah.

May our small efforts please Allah. Selamat berpuasa!

Insaf: ordinary place, outstanding briyani!

My nasi briyani and chicken ayam madu.
So gorgeous.. A++

When Izham told me he wanted to take me to the best briyani place in the whole of Malaysia, I was pretty skeptical. Best briyani place? In Malaysia, really? Briyani tastes the same everywhere, and FCM has briyani that is good enough already. For me at least. And for Miza too, my personal consultant on mamak food and mamak food expert.

We arrived around 6:45 pm, the time we were told to arrive before they confiscated our table and handed it over to someone else. The restaurant was quaint, sweet and squeeky clean, and reminded me of those small cafe's in Portugal that had a big Hola signboard outside only the locals knew about. There were few people seated already looking starved. Two bored looking couples who didn't look like they knew each sat together at the next table, and it eventually dawned on me that the restauranteurs seated them randomly to save on space. Thank goodness we had our own table -- I thought, before an odd couple from Bangsar were seated beside us few minutes later. 

Apples that rock~~

Mango juice and veggie acar. A++

When the azan finally came on, the restaurant was in full-blown bustling mode. We both ordered the nasi beriyani with ayam madu, and, in the anticipation, I forgot to ask for chicken thigh and got a big chunk of chicken breast plopped onto my rice. The meal also included veggie acar, dal sauce, dates, an apple each, mineral water and mango juice. And though I was enjoying the evening I still was a bit skeptical about the whole Best-Briyani-in-Malaysia-business Izham was selling me. So I took my time munching on my apple and watched everyone dig into their food wholeheartedly. Even the couples at the next table seem to be friendlier to each other after buka. It's called briyani-breaking.

By the way, the apple was so crunchy and sweet, I would have gone to eat there if only for the apple. 

Finally, in deliberate slo-mo, I started on my briyani. And from the first mouthful, I was literally blown away~. It was so gorgeous. Better than Bangi's briyani house 3 times over, and better than FCM's by more than 7 on the Richter scale. The chicken, although breast-meat, was incredibly tender for some incomprehensible reason. I wonder what the chefs put in it. I guessed ginger, but I couldn't even taste a hint. I guess we'll never know unless I work there.

There you have it, I concur, hands in the air, you were right, the best briyani I have ever tasted, and trust me, I have tried briyani all over the united nations including Saudi, Dubai, London and New York. The uncle slipped the bill under my plate, so I knew how much our meal cost, as if he subtlety wanted me to know how grateful I should be! Alhamdulillah! And thank you Izham, for the apple.

jazakallahukhairan kasiran!

Restoran Insaf
Jalan TAR, Kuala Lumpur
(address and phone number on left)

Cleanliness: A
Food: A++
Price: RM40 complete meal for 2 people. Add RM5 for parking at the back.
Satisfaction Level: B+ I wished we didn't share tables. It was a squish and a squeeze.
Service: A - fast and friendly
Atmosphere: A. Friendly Malaysian hospitality. Like MAS. Except the waiters dressed appropriately.

Rasa Utara (ala Tun Mahathir~)

From left: Sheemz, Nadiaz, Ninaz, and Mizaz (the birthday girl)

This is a back-dated entry from the last Wednesday before Ramadhan Kareem, which we visited to celebrate Miza's birthday. We were checking out Shaftsbury Avenue in Cyberjaya and Rasa Utara seemed to be the most dependable place there compared to the other newly opened restaurants that looked like western bistro's awaiting their sijil halal certification.

Laksa. Sedap. Go for it.

The place is right by the escalator on the first floor and the deco was nice and simple. We managed to get a table right smack in the center of activity and ordered immediately--seeing as I had a 2pm class that afternoon and didn't want to maintain my reputation of always being late to class; a new Ramadhan resolution.

Nadia gives the Mee Rebus an A++

Everyone was pretty excited that day as I recall. It was--after all--Miza's 2046/52.46153 birthday, although she barely looks over 25. Miza's birthday celebration comes in 2 parts: this is Part I. Part II will have some sort of cake dish and will be held sometime during raya insya'Allah. The reason for the 2-part celebration is because Cyber is highly lacking in awesome restaurants, so to compensate we replace one big lunch at an awesome restaurant with lunch at 2 great restaurants instead. Yes, she's very special and we take good care of her.

Nadia ordered mee rebus and me and Miza both ordered asam laksa Utara (apparently Tun Mahathir's favourite dish--it said so on the menu). Asam laksa is healthy for you because it is entirely fish boiled in water with bits of veggies and herbs. My laksa had two big pieces of succulant fish in it (I think it's ikan kembong, I am not so good with fish names), which surprised me (with delight) somewhat.

Ramadhan buffet for buffet lovers.
Jangan membazir ok. Satu pertiga je perut untuk
makanan. Sepertiga lagi untuk air.
And yang lebihnya untuk angin. ;D

Nina didn't order anything. She already had her lunch with her Perbandaran Sepang office-mates and besides, there wasn't anything else in the menu that Tun Mahathir liked. I suspect she's on a diet.

Nadia's mee rebus tasted really good, and she was all over it with enthusiasm, a very rare scene to  behold. She usually has quite mild reactions to good food, something about people from Melaka which I noticed. She must have been either very hungry that day or northern food must really be her thing.

Await for Miza's birthday celebration Part II. We might come back here again and order the big fried fish entree in the wild bamboo tray like the table behind us. Those men were really packing themselves in for Ramadhan.

Rasa Utara
Shaftesbury Avenue, Cyberjaya, MALAYSIA 
not London or some other Western country

Cleanliness: A
Price: ~RM70 food for 3 people, drinks for 4. 
Satisfaction Level: A. Nadia gives it an A+
Service: A waiter was too good to be true
Atmosphere: A. Malay-style.

Ala Kassim!! (best ikan bakar in Malaysia--for now)

There's the ikan, and the squid and the udang, and the nasi lemak :)

I guess I have extended my hunting territory beyond Cyberjaya, Kajang and Bangi because in this post I am going to cover Melaka. To warm up for the big review, you know how in the movies, the deliriously sensitive guy sweeps the middle-class girl of her feet and takes her for a day trip to another city for dinner--in a private jet--to some high-rise restaurant with a view of the entire city on a starlit night? Well this is a supremely washed-and-ironed-down version of that movie. It was a trip to the state next door for ikan bakar, who according to my business partner is the best ikan bakar in the whole of Malaysia (that's bold and italic right there for emphasis)... and worth the 2 hour-commute one-way in a road vehicle, in the rain. Yes, that's how special the ikan bakar is.

Sotong goreng.  My favourite! A+

Udang panggang. Nice and fresh.

We arrived right before maghrib to this row of open-air restaurants, somewhere in the middle of Melaka, supposedly by the sea or river (though I couldn't see it). The raw seafood is on display on a table near the front, fish-market style and you get to pick which one you wanted. We got a fish, some squid and a basket of prawns.

Nasi lemak paling sedap di Malaysia, kalah
nasi lemak Antarabangsa..

So here's how the grilled fish is eaten. They load a basket of small nasi lemaks onto the table in front of you and you can eat however much you want with your seafood. The rice, I must say was simply delicious. The sambal in the rice was awesome too, though you can barely taste it, it was so sikit. The sauce for the fish was kicap with cili's and onions. And the fish was simply cooked but heavenly ---I forgot all about the rice when I had it and ate it on its own. But it could also be that I was really hungry from the very long jet ride.

For now, I will say this is the best ikan bakar in the whole of Malaysia, until I try that glamorous Ana Ikan Bakar one in Bangi first for comparison purposes. The place did crowed up a bit after dark and the atmosphere was friendly and Melaka-ish, possibly because the main topic of our conversation was mostly Hang Jebat and Hang Tuah and who was guilty of treason. Will possibly come back again, try the restaurant next door  insya'Allah, and perhaps discuss a more interesting subject matter during dinner. :P 

Ala Kassim

Medan Ikan Bakar Alai, Melaka

Cleanliness: C (forget the surau in the compound, use the masjid)

Price:  I wouldn't know. Around ~RM60 I guess. Thank you Izham :)

Satisfaction Level: A++ (the fish was just right with the nasi lemak)

Service: A (fast and friendly) 

Atmosphere: B+

Al-Baraka :: Awesome ALGERIAN food

Nadia checking out menu!

I really wanted to get this down today, because it's the first place I have been to in ages that's (i) new and (ii) awesomely fantastic. Miza randomly picked it, with eye's half closed, and I just amiably went along without expecting much.

The menu looked pretty similar to the legendary Saba' restaurant --which I knew is Yemeni, but the walls at this restaurant were plastered with Algerian posters. And a quick chat with the owner at the counter confirmed it. It's all Algerian. 

Mandy Fish! Ha, you didn't think fish can mandi did you?! A!

Fish Kabsah! You can't get this in Saba'! A!

Miza ordered Lamb Kabsah and I ordered Fish Kabsah simply because I've never heard anything like it before. I don't know what Miza's dish tastes like but she said it was delicious. Mine certainly was definitely delicious. And we both couldn't stop complementing our own dishes as we ate, which was funny. Heee~~ It wasn't that we didn't offer each other our orders, it's just that lamb and fish don't mix well together in our (and your) stomachs. If you had both meats, the stomach juices will only process the simplest protein (in this case the fish), so you'd be left with the lamb in your gut for days, which in time turns to toxin. There. Healthy eating tip for ya. I learnt that at a make-up workshop which I attended some 4 years back. The speaker was a nutritionist who was 40 but looked like she was 25. But then again if I had read the eating habits of the Prophet (s.a.w), I'd have found that out sooner: he (s.a.w) never ate fish with meat. Not only for the meal, but the entire day. And he's (s.a.w) never had stomach problems his entire life.

I highly recommend the place. Seriously, it's as good as Saba'--perhaps even better. Will definitely be back and try the humus, insya'Allah. Nadia said she's coming next time. She was stuck in the ACP meeting all morning. Poor thing.

Al-Baraka
Domain, Cyberjaya

Cleanliness: B+
Food: A++ Kabsah's awesome
Price: ~RM15 including drinks
Satisfaction Level: A
Service: B+
Atmosphere: B+ (good crowd)

p/s the old pictures got wiped out and these are recent pictures when I went there with Nadia December 4th 2012!  

Secret Recipe: A Fish & Chippies Day

Kak Sarina and Miza waiting for our chippies

I sincerely miss my S2, I really do, and I am bummed that a few droplets of water by the sink drowned it and scrapped the warranty that came with it. We had some good times me and he. The Samsung service guy called me with awful news. Touchscreens are way to expensive to replace, you might as well get a new phone he says. Didn't he know my S2 is irreplaceble? 

But of course it is not, Allah just has better plans. He always does. Whenever He takes away something or --someone for that matter, He always replaces it with something/one even better. Every single time. Never fails. And now, I am using my mom's redundant Galaxy Tab. See. And by default every caller goes straight to speakerphone. Yay. Hands-free~~ No  more private phone calls. Whatsapp me ok people.

So now, I am looking at the picture folder I had downloaded into my PC just before my S2 succumbed to water. The pictures here were taken way back before Kak Sarina had her baby. There was a SALE at Mothercare's and Miza has a membership card. ____________________ .

We--out of nowehere--suddenly found ourselves at Secret Recipe Alamanda. And fish and chips, although fried, weren't soaked in MSG (I am an anti-MSG activist nowadays). Not to mention, fish and chips are so British, it brings back warm memories of cold winds, frozen puddles, hail stones and stiff jaws (stress from all that PhD write-up)....so we all of us ordered the same thing. Of course the size of the fish are like dwarfs compared to the gigantic pieces of fish they serve over there. But hey. It was delicious.



Random pic from Health magazine: salmon,
dark chocolate, berries and eggs are
good for you~~



From Umar: Allah's Messenger (s.a.w) said: "Eat together, and do not separate, for the blessing is in the company." Ibn Mäja

Alamanda has the best
Secret Recipe 


Cleanliness: A
Price: ~RM15
Satisfaction Level: B+
Service: B+
Atmosphere: B+

Verandah Cyberjaya -- an awesome birthday treat

This was the birthday treat Nadia took me to a day before my birthday. Alhamdulillah for another year on this earth, Allah's Kindness and Generosity knows no bounds. 

I didn't think I would even put this entry down, but I know Cyberjaya has very limited eating spaces that's buffet-style, so I am pretending I am doing everyone a favor here. Fret no more, this is one awesome restaurant to take that special someone on her birthday. For his birthday, there's always that mamak place in downtown Cyber that has killer roti canai and teh tarik**.

You wonder how I got these pictures down? I just breezed by with my Galaxy S2 (currently away at the Service Center) and snapped. The waiters obliged me by smiling at the camera. Unfortunately they didn't make it into the picture. 

If I am making your mouth water looking at these pictures and you found through google this place is so expensive it's not worth it, I am dreadfully sorry. Promise once I hit millionaire status and we're friends or at least good acquaintances, I'll take you here for your birthday, insya'Allah. It's just food anyway.

Thank you to Nadia for the special birthday treat. May Allah keep our friendship forever.

Sushi bar which I didn't manage
to try because I was so full

The cod in white sauce was heavenly
and reminded me of the UK..

And the Prophet (s.a.w) after eating would read:

اَلْحَمْدُ لله الَّذِى اَطْعَمَنَا وَسَقَانَا وَجَعَلَنَا مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِيْنَ
All praise be to Allah who gave us food and drink and made us among the Muslims.

                                                           

Verandah Restaurant, 

Cyberjaya View Lodge

Cleanliness: A
Food: A
Price: A++++
Satisfaction Level: A
Service: A
Atmosphere: A

**substitute the canai for capati for good health and the teh tarik with green tea, he'll thank you for it 20 years later.

Will update soon -- stay tuned!!~

In one of my lazy spells because I have just insya'Allah fully recovered from an illness, so I have been really watching what I eat now. More vegetables, fruits and fish and less chicken, beef and lamb. Apparently also, for a healthy heart, one must concentrate on garlic (eaten raw), potatoes, and calcium.

Health is the most valuable asset one can ever have. What is even remotely enjoyable in this life if one does not have health? lets do something about it while we can, eat healthily and in moderation.

Until the next post amigos.

Alamanda Food Court: Mixed Rice (give it a try...)

Nadia. My best friend!

I am 99.8% back to normal now. After the terrible headaches and neck pain I have been going through for a while now, I am nearly recovered. Nadia took me to this traditional chinese doctor who did some chi-repairing, and I must say, he was excellent. I know that soon I will be completely recovered insyaÁllah, but I do not want to forget the resolutions I had made while sick. So note to future self: remember your promises!

After the visit to the chi-doc, we stopped by Alamanda for lunch. I have aspired to minimize processed foods and go for all natural. The Mixed Rice stall in Alamanda was a good start. By the by, the chi-doc told me to cut down on the following for good health: kangkung, long cabbage, cucumber, soft tofu, watermelons, pineapple, bananas, cempedak and nangka (jackfruit). The pineapple part just breaks my heart. 

Yes. All this was for RM9. And it was good.

I had the ikan masak lemak (nice), brocolli (nice) and sambal petai (wonderful). Nadia had pretty much the same. And since her plate was pretty much cleaned out after, I am guessing her choice of lauk was good too. For drinks, we had all pure and natural young coconut juice. That must be the best part of our meal. For RM3.80, it was refreshingly sweet and fresh. Awesome. Go for it for sure. My uncle said that if you selawat on it 3 times and drink it from the shell, it will neutralize any bad chi (ilmu hitam) anyone's ever done to you, insyaAllah. So,  skip the coca-cola okay. At least when you're in Alamanda. 

Nadia's

I wish all my blog-readers good health!

Alhamdulillah for good food and great friends and the health and the time to enjoy them.

Alamanda Food Court, 

Putrajaya

Cleanliness: B 

Food: B+

Price: ~RM10 per person including drinks 

Satisfaction Level: B++ 

Service: N/A 

Atmosphere: nice. but that's coz Alamanda's my second home.

Baskin Robbin's (one of the best ice-creameries out there)

Baskin Robbin's is one of the best, long-standing and creative makers of ice-cream out there. And if you're like me, you'd probably have a favourite old-time flavor. For me, it's always been Pralines and Cream. Always and forever. Ever and ever. From since I stumbled upon the little Baskin Robbin's place behind Vandy way back when. I would drop by with my backpack and order the Pralines and Cream for lunch with the Mint-Chocolate-Chip-flavored shake for to go.

So, these pictures are all me on my various excursions with Miza, Ning and Armand. And believe me, there have been numerous excursions because Alamanda has one pretty stall standing straight in my face as I exit the parking lot, with all the ice-cream cakes sitting nice and pretty towards me begging to be picked up. Almost like that annoying cat from Shrek.

 Okay, here's the deal with Baskins: all the flavours taste yummy except for Green Tea and Black Forest Cake. Green Tea ice-cream and doughnut and whatever food item out there that involves green tea in a form other than tea, is a gimmick to make you--the incredibly intelligent consumer--think healthy. Get over it strategic-marketing managers! We know that green tea is only good for when we're shocked into our 30's and socializing with health junkies. And Black Forest is old news since Red Velvet's debut, not to mention it tastes like a regular Wall's ice-cream you pick up at Petronas while filling up gas. Not bad, but not so great either.

So there you have it. If you would like to taste something new that's awesomely delicious, try the Orange Pound Perfection. I know it doesn't sound or look incredibly attractive but it's orange flavored ice-cream thrown in with pieces of orange peel and  pound cake and it's not as sweet as Bombshell Blondie, which, although tongue-blowing, is a little bit too sweet for health purposes, I thought.

Black Forest Cake.
NO.NO NO.
Go get a wall's for less.

Bombshell Blondie and
Mint Choc Chip. YES. But
Bombshell Blondie is very sweet.

Last but not least, don't forget to wear pink on Wednesdays to get discounts. Men, don't think they hate you. We realize pink is so over-rated but Pink is Baskin's Robbin's trademark color and besides, eating ice-cream will emasculate you anyway, so why not give in looking all graceful and lovely.

Baskin Robbins
Cleanliness: B
Food: A-
Price: ~RM5 per scoop
Satisfaction Level: A-
Service: B (sometimes these ice-cream people can be really slow~~)
Atmosphere: A