Foodaholic Tawau

Hailam Kopitiam (KK FoodieVenture #125)

Labels: food, kedai kopi, kkcity, restaurant

So I did mentioned in the post before this one that I was already full when my partner decided that his stomach still has some room for a burger and the reason for that is this place. We had actually taken an early dinner at this upper class looking kopitiam franchise as we were walking around the lower ground floor of the Imago shopping mall. Both of us were curious when we saw the big crowd that always seems to be present inside the eatery so we decided that it was time for us to try them as well. After going through their pretty extensive menu, we opted for their Crispy Roti Canai with Curry, Sambal Sandwich Special and Mee Hoon Siam and all of the foods were pretty good and appetizing. Couple those foods with some Chrysanthemum Tea and Ice Cincau Longan and we have ourselves a satisfying modern day kopitiam experience; at an affordable price no less.

Damn Good Burger Imago (KK FoodieVenture #124)

Labels: fast food, food, kkcity

Speaking about being a huge fan of grilled burgers, my partner had also insisted that we made a pit stop at the 4^th branch of the Damn Good Burger as we were strolling along the open aired ground floor area of Imago shopping mall. And since I was feeling rather full that evening (and because we did try out their Lorong Dewan branch before this) I decided to just munch on their delicious & crunchy Cajun Fries while my partner ate their Single Patty Beef Burger. Needless to say, he still fancied this place more than the one we had previously visited so do expect us to make regular visits to this burger joint in the future. Also, I do love the overall ambience of this eatery since it was creatively decorated and cosier than their other branches.

Lava KK Burger Bakar (KK FoodieVenture #123)

Labels: fast food, food, kkcity

My partner is a big fan of burgers particularly grilled burgers (burger bakar) so he's been itching to go to this place for sometime now. Fortunately, this time around we do have a vehicle (that a relative was kind enough to lend us for a day or two) so he wasted no time in heading towards the 88 Marketplace commercial area in Kepayan (with the help of Mr. Waze of course) . He got a bit ambitious and decided to take on their Classic Lava Gunung triple beef patty burger and ended up regretting it later on. It was more because of the huge serving rather than its taste. He said that the patty was delicious albeit easily crumble. I’m just thanking God that I do not share his belly for burgers and opted instead for their Fish Burger, which was good but not spectacular I’m afraid. Also, I have this feeling that I might have tried them out before but when they were in a different place and name perhaps? Man… I’m getting old!

*FYI, this is their Classic Lava Gunung set...

... their Fish Burger set...

... and a side order of their Cheesy Fries (which was just meh)

Pasta Pasta (KK FoodieVenture #122)

Labels: cafe, fast food, kkcity

I’ve actually heard about this eatery for quite awhile now. I was intrigued by their concept of fast food pasta so since me and my partner were staying nearby (and since they’re easily spotted if you’re happen to be walking along the Gaya Street during the night food market – like we did) I wasted no time in dragging my unwilling partner to try them out. Their ordering concept was also fairly simple; you just need to pick out your preferred pasta, sauce and main ingredients (mine were farfalle+tomato sauce+sliced chicken) and they will prepared them for you. Although I have read somewhere about their lack of portioning but I found them to be very filling and tasted nice. My tomato sauce was tongue-burning hot and a bit runny but still tasty. Overall, still a pretty good meal for someone who is not a heavy eater.

Outward Vacay: The Klagan @ Riverson Hotel & Residence

Labels: hotel, kkcity

Since my partner was itching for a place to swim, we decided to switch hotels again after a few days at Hotel Gaia 95 and ended up at this hotel mainly for its very wallet friendly budget. The hotel cum apartment is located on the residential building of the Riverson (specifically called the Soho) where the hotel had commandeered the entire 3^rd floor. So if you arrived at the main entrance and only spotted the security counter, do not fret since their actual lobby is on the aforementioned floor.

Although the designated check in time is 3pm, we were allowed to do a slightly early check in, which was nice. We were also very satisfied with our room, as it was spacious and well equipped with a working (big) fridge, microwave oven, basic utensils and safety box among other things. We also do not mind that they have a doorless shower but their vent fan seems to be broken so we were left with a wet floor almost all the time. Another thing that I would like to highlight is the non-existing place for their housekeeping team. Our room coincidentally faced the housekeeping storage room directly (or closet from what I can see) so the staff spent their free time chatting and storing away things in full view of the patrons from early morning till night. This might make some patrons uncomfortable and felt disturbed so I do hope that the management can provide a proper place for the housekeeping staff to do their business.

Also, since the hotel only occupied the 3^rd floor, do expect to run into private tenants from other floors on the lifts as well as the swimming pool. But do not worry though since the pool (and jacuzzi) is big enough for everyone, even with an obstruct view of the sea. And I’m not too clear on their parking policy since I did spot several private parkings under the hotel’s name but am not sure whether if it is free or not (judging by its vacancy most of the time we were there).

All in all…

Type – Superior Room

Room – 5/5 (loved their semi apartment concept, just like the one in KK Times Square Hotel)

Price – 5/5 (very affordable considering their location)

Service – 4/5 (the front desk & security team were very pleasant)

Décor – 4/5 (clean & modern looking)

Facilities – 4/5 (my partner is very happy with their pool)

Location – 5/5 (their within the Riverson Soho area; sandwiched between the Gleneagles private hospital and Imago shopping mall)