My Pretzels Warisan Square (KK FoodieVenture #47)

Now that we’re within the KK main city area, most of my post hereafter will focus on areas nearby. So let’s start off with something light, something like My Pretzels. It’s only been somewhat a favourite of mine because of the fact that I will always walked passed them every time I took the lifts to my current hotel at Warisan Square. So one evening, I found myself standing in from of its stall (again, right in front of the Warisan Square main lifts and just beside the main door of the shopping area) and ordering both their Chocolate Pretzels and its little sister, the Chocolate Stix Pretzels. And before I know it, I probably stopped by the place almost daily throughout my stay there. I mean, the chocolate sauce was just oozing with not-too-overwhelmingly-sweet deliciousness, even though it might be a messy affair to consume. They’re other types of pretzels that are equally tasty such as Caramel Almond, Parmesan Cheese and Cinnamon up for grabs, as well as other snacks such as waffles, popcorns, kaya balls and assorted drinks. And it’s good to note that if you’re happen to be at the 4^th floor of Centre Point Shopping Mall (aka the Palm Square), you can also sample their goodness at their booth located right at the bottom of the escalators. 

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Outward Vacay: Imperial Boutec Hotel Waterfront

After several short days within the Imago Shopping Mall area, we finally got bored and decided to hop to another hotel. This time, we choose a familiar hotel which we’d frequented before and smack in the middle of KK. The hotel does not have any clear signage, which can be a bit of a problem for first-timers. What you can do when you arrived at the Warisan Square Shopping area however was go straight to its main lift area. Just popped up to the 7^th floor and you’ll automatically be ‘greeted’ by the lobby area as soon as the lift opened. The hotel fully occupies the entire floor area so you’re definitely in the right place.

Check in and out was smooth and they apparently did not ask for any deposits should you’d paid through online booking (yay!). Room was smaller but bright in colours & modern in décor. Maintenance however might not be the hotel’s strongest suit as several hiccups can be spotted immediately upon entering the room (like the torn curtains, chipped floor and non working fridge). Also, they’re still using that ever complicated water heater (they should really give us a short course on how to use that thing!) and some funky smell coming from the pillows (it’s the first time that I actually agreed with some fussy Tripadvisor commentators). And I suspected that even though I booked a deluxe room, they actually gave me a superior room instead since the view was that of the city and not the ocean as it was suppose to be. If that’s the case then they should just came clean with this instead of assuming that the patrons will not know the difference. Hotel technician was swift and efficient when we have a bit of a ‘situation’ (caused by yours truly, accidentally of course) so good on them. Front desk staff also vary in performances (the day shift was grumpier than the night shift people). Although parkings were still not free but at least they’re providing a lesser rate should you park within the Warisan Square building (RM5 per entry if I’m not mistaken – from what I’ve read from their up front ads anyways).

For overall ratings…

Type – Deluxe

Room – 3/5 (the view was entertaining – even though it might be the wrong view!)

Price – 4/5 (among the most reasonable, considering the very strategic area)

Service – 3/5 (there’s a particular front desk day shift staff that was pretty dismissive every time anyone tried to ask her something – should really look into it though)

Décor – 3/5 (very modern & futuristic looking despite lack of maintenances) 

Facilities – 3/5 (I notice that they have several meeting rooms available for booking)

Location – 4/5 (it’s on the 7^th floor of Warisan Square despite not having a clear signage directing people to their hotel)

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Outward Vacay: Manja Hotel

It’s the second week of my trip to KK and unfortunately, this year’s ‘budget’ does not permit us to have a luxurious accommodation. But I still enjoy hotel hopping since there’re a lot of new hotels just popping about (and most importantly, still affordable to all types of budget). One such place is this hotel right in the heart of KK Times Square. And when I say in the heart, I really mean inside the commercial area, since it’s almost impossible to spot them from any main road surrounding the place. I wanted to stay in a hotel that’s within (a very short) walking distance to the Imago Shopping Mall (since this time around, we did not have our own transportation) and this hotel did the trick. Well, there’re actually a couple of other hotels which were more visible in the same area but what attracted me to this place was the very reasonable pricing and their free shuttle to and fro the airport. I applaud the hotel’s staff for patiently waiting for us at the airport despite our flight delay.

The room that we’d checked into got a view of the water fountain within the area, which was calming since the area was already a quiet place (well, almost quiet anyway since it also happens to be the flight path for several flights). I loved the space that we got as well (just like Zara's Boutique Hotel, but with prettier décor) and their bathroom was equally nice as well. Several negatives to mention would probably be the somewhat dimmed lighting, limited TV channels and the slow cooling air-conditioning. The hotel did not provide any bottled water but they do encourage you to fill your own jug of water from the water dispenser available on every floor. Some people had commented that the lift to the rooms feels a bit unsafe (since it is outside next to the lobby, with a short flight of stairs in between) but I can assure you that it’s actually not that bad.  

Moving on now...

Type – Superior King

Room – 3/5 (the space and bed was a major plus despite minor misgivings)

Price – 4/5 (among the cheapest within the commercial area)

Service – 4/5 (they also have a Manja Cafe right beside the lobby)

Décor – 3/5 (weird combination of brown & green though – but that’s just me)

Facilities – 3/5 (it’s your typical lower mid-range budget hotel so you get what you’d paid for)

Location – 4/5 (it’s actually facing the inner part of KK Times Square, right in front of commercial area’s main office) 

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Upperstar Restaurant & Bar (KK FoodieVenture #46)

While staying within the KK Times Square area for a couple of days before moving on, me and my partner usually entered the Imago Shopping Mall from the entrance facing the commercial area. And every single time I notice that this particular restaurant (the first restaurant that you’ll see when you walk into the mall) was almost always packed with people. So obviously that got me very curious to try them out for lunch on my third day of visiting said mall. And I admit I was a bit blown away, for several different reasons. First impression got me thinking that the place might be pricey since it looks sophisticated and well... pricey of course. So I was happy to discover that the price was actually very affordable than expected. We wasted no time in ordering a few dishes, mainly their Malaysian Delight (an assortment of Malay dishes within one plate, which my partner had gobbled up without much complaint), their Sliced Beef Cheese Burger (the shredded beef was juicy, I just loved it), Fried Springrolls (pretty good but not fantastic) and Chocolate Cake (surprising moist – will definitely order again). Another thing that blows my mind away about this place (that I really need to let out) was the overwhelmingly crowded décor of the place. Now don’t get me wrong, I like the colourful and cheerful vibe but my eyes just don’t know where to focus with so many unique things being hung on its walls. And it amuses me to discover that although Upperstar has a lot of branches all over KK, their names were slightly different from one another. Possibly due to different owners maybe?

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Sticky (KK FoodieVenture #45)

Yeah, yeah I know… this is not exactly a full fledge ‘food’ but you still eat your snacks right? So just like that I’m including this on my list of food review. Har har har… What initially attracted me the most about this vibrant looking place was not the multi-coloured candies being strategically displayed on their shelves, nor that cutesy mascot up front. Nope, it’s the very long line of people just waiting their chance to get inside the place. I mean, I understand if the place is a restaurant, but a candy store? Now that’s something new to me. So I waited a bit for the crowd to die out (which took longer than expected) to see what the fuss is about. When I finally got inside the store, I finally realize why it drew such a crowd. There’s a full on display of ‘craftsmanship’ being shown from a glass counter. The marshmallow type of candy was actually being handmade on the spot by perfectly trained staff and quickly packed afterwards. It’s indeed a sight to be seen as they moulded the sticky and soft raw materials into candies of assorted flavourings. I did buy one for my niece back home and had tried them out as well. True to its name, the candy was indeed very sticky and chewy (I had to picked my tooth afterwards) and thankfully not overly sweet. But do be warn though, for such a ‘special candy’ the price is obviously not going to be cheap, as my orange flavoured candy (see picture below) costs Rm16.70 per small tube. And that’s among the cheapest there is.

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BBQ Chicken, Korea's No.1 Chicken Restaurant (KK FoodieVenture #44)

Still within the Imago Shopping Mall at KK Times Square, I remember that it was already the second time I was there (since I also stayed nearby, more on that on a later post) and this place had caught my eyes for some reason. A quick look at the menu displayed at the counter outside and we decided to try them out. There are several other eateries that has the whole Korean theme going on within the mall but we decided upon this place since they somewhat served fusion food (because my dear partner is not exactly a fan of Korean/ Japanese types of food). There wasn’t that many customers when we were there so we quickly ordered their Sous-Vide Chicken Nasi Goreng (which err… tasted like a tomato fried rice but the salad was surprisingly good) and some Paris Wings (which was sweetly seasoned – and yes, I know it sounds weird that we’re eating a ‘Paris’ chicken wings in a Korean theme restaurant right?) for my partner since he’s not in the mood for heavy eating that day. And I do apologize as well for not being able to try out their actual Korean dishes that day since several of our initial choices were unavailable. It’s also good to note that the eatery is actually a part of a chain of franchises within Malaysia (and possibly outside?)

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Nando's Imago (KK FoodieVenture #43)

Another place that I’m just dying to try out (because I’d miss the opportunity to have a go at them during my previous visit to KK) was Nando’s. Man, I’ve heard lots of things from my friends and family about them that it has gone to the top of my wish list just like that. So when I heard that they’re also opening at Imago Shopping Mall, I rushed to find them a.s.a.p. But here’s the thing though. I personally thought that their location might be a bit difficult to find, especially if you’re one of those easily-confuse- people like I am. Me and my partner had to stop by the information counter after what seems to be hours of searching (it’s actually minutes so don’t mind my dramatic antics) to finally be able to spot them at the ground floor of said mall.

We definitely took our sweet time deciding on what to eat since it is the first time we were there. But the waiters did not seem to mind since it’s practically a full house indoors (and we were there the day after Christmas so…). But when we finally made our order (we decided to share their Meal Platter and Lighten Up Chocolate Cake) I was a bit disappointed that the waiter neglected to mention to me the spice level of their infamous PERi-PERi Chicken (I only notice this after I got home) and just assume that we wanted their Lemon & Herb flavour. I mean, shouldn’t I be ask first of my preferences since it’s my first time there? And I must say that the PERi-PERi Chicken (with coleslaw and PERi chips as sides) were somewhat a let down for me. Don’t get me wrong, it’s very tender and the portion was huge but I’ve tasted better offerings elsewhere. I guess it’s because my initial expectation was so high that it did not lived up to it. Their chocolate cake was also an okay cake at best. But don’t just take my word for it since a lot of people still love them of course.  

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Kurtos Spiroll Chimney Cake Bakery Imago (KK FoodieVenture #42)

After sometime of very indecisive thoughts, I finally decided to divide my current reviews on all things KK geographically. Wow… I never thought that I’ll use that word ever again (my Form 3 geography teacher will be so proud). So first up is the brand new Imago Shopping Mall that has sprung up at KK Times Square. Now even before I set foot inside the so-called new ‘it’ mall in KK, I’ve read countless of comments regarding this particular place. For one, I’ve never heard of a chimney cake before so that got me curious enough to go and find them the minute I arrive at said mall (yes, I can be very single-minded sometimes).

The kiosk can easily be spotted on the lower ground floor of the mall, specifically on the eatery side of the mall. I wasted no time in ordering their Chocolate Peanut kurtos kalacs (have no idea how to pronounce them) and you know what, it’s pretty tasty. It might not be mind-blowingly delicious but still very good. It is said that the pastry originated from where Dracula once resides (I’m not kidding folks – feel free to search the net) so that might contribute to the ‘unique structure’ of the pastry. Even more unique was the fact that you can watch them baked and decorate your order live, front row seat included and all. They also provide regular choices of pastries should you’re not interested in any Hungarian offerings on site so feel free to try them.

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Outward Vacay: Habiba Suites

In the same week as my previous hotel post, my other family members had chosen a different place to crash (since there’re a lot of them). So even though I did not actually stay there, I did however get their feedback when I was ‘lepaking’ there as well. If you’re interested in a peaceful, secluded place to rest then this is the place for you. The location might be tricky for you if you came to KK vehicle-less, since it’s located on top of Signal Hill (or Bukit Bendera). The serviced apartment type of accommodation consist of both regular hotel rooms and full on apartments.

Okay, I’m going to be honest and say that the place creeps me out, what with the building being surrounded by an actual jungle area. First impression screams out ‘old flat’ to me and parking spaces might be limited. There’s also limited staff for such a big place, which was a bit confusing. But after I’ve settled down, I found myself actually digging the place more. The apartment that my relatives had rented out was spacious, albeit with a very dated, 80s décor. The place has 1 master bedroom (with 3 beds in them), 2 other bedrooms (one had 3 beds and another had a singular bed), 2 attached bathrooms, a living area, dining area and a kitchen (with a fridge and limited utensils). So it’s possible for you to cook your own food while you’re there but buying ingredients might be a huge problem if you do not have any vehicle (and no, even if you’re a fitness guru and can run up and down the area – it’s on top of a steep, jungle-y hill and getting down doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll immediately spotted a convenient store). But they do have a restaurant within the area and a burger joint as well so rest assured that you won’t starve. And one huge plus point for this place is the beautiful view of the KK city area (well, it is on top of a hill). Oh and also that family of adorable looking monkeys (yes, actual monkeys) paying a regular visit to the place during the evenings.

All in all, I’d say…

Type – 3 Bedroom Suites

Room – 3/5 (at least it’s really spacious)

Price – 3/5 (a bit pricey even for the beautiful view)

Service – 3/5 (nothing much to comment)

Décor – 2/5 (here’s where the management really needs to focus on – those ‘holes’ on the hallway were just freaky especially at night) 

Facilities – 3/5 (the place is also available for weddings and other meeting stuff)

Location – 4/5 (can’t really argue with the awesome sunset hilltop view though) 

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