Love cigar and whiskey? You gotta visit Whisky Tango Foxtrot!

My work-related adventures have brought me to one of the coolest places in Kuala Lumpur. Located at Jalan Kasah Damansara Heights, Whisky Tango Foxtrot is definitely a must-visit for those who enjoy cigars and/or whiskey. 

Upon entering the venue, you will be welcomed by a huge humidor showcasing a big collection of cigars and accessories. It is the biggest collection showcase in Asia, I was told. I've never seen a cigar collection in my life and I find this amazing. Honestly, I only see people smoking cigars in movies, those typical high-profile men who enjoy the most luxurious lifestyle. I am inclined to believe that only people who have reached a certain level of success or wealth can truly appreciate cigars. But as I've learned, there are a lot of people who enjoy having cigars once in a while, not just the extremely wealthy. I guess it's a similar general perception as with wines. People tend to think that wines are also for the rich. 

There are shelves and shelves of cigars. Some are sold in box sets but there are also individual ones. There are also very nice sets that are great gifts.

Cigar collection at Whisky Tango Foxtrot

Cigar collection at Whisky Tango Foxtrot

Highlighted in display were Macanudo cigars. 

I didn't know cigars are also aged. This set is aged for 8 years...

You'll also find great accessories for cigar lovers such as lighters, cigar scissors, cutters, cigar cases and more.

Cigar accessories

Lovely lighters...

High-quality cutters and scissors...

They also have an online store where you can easily purchase your favorite cigars.

The humidor/ entrance has this poster to welcome guests. I did a bit of research and as I found out, 'Keep Calm and Carry On' was a motivational poster produced by the British government in 1939, a few months before the beginning of the Second World War. It aimed to raise the morale of the British public in the event of wartime disaster. You'll actually see a lot of different phrases or statements using this concept around, whether in mall boutiques, mugs, tumblers, shirts and other things. In fact, this is almost everywhere nowadays. But there's a much more meaningful origin to this quote.  

After the humidor, you will reach the cozy, private lounge. It is adorned with black-and-white  posters, black leather chairs and dim lighting. The atmosphere is very masculine and  exclusive. Definitely a great place to hangout, enjoy cigars and whiskey while having serious or not-so-serious discussions. I can imagine my husband having whiskey here with his friends. 

On one side of the lounge, a wall of private humidors are lined up for members who want to store their cigar collections. For a certain fee, a member will enjoy a private humidor with his/her initials, 10% discount on all purchases and other exclusive privileges. 

At one end is the bar where you can enjoy your favorite whiskey, wines and some cocktails. I'm not a whiskey drinker but since they also serve my cocktails then it's great for me...

There are also 2 private rooms for guests or members who would prefer to have a more private area. 

I have great respect for places that pay good attention in making their washroom better than just its function. And I'd say WTF (that's Whisky Tango Foxtrot, no pun intended) impressed me. I've never seen any bar or restaurant using a great product such as Aesop Aromatique for a hand wash. (Well, the ex-skincare brand manager in me can't help but notice...)

And aside from that, there is also a set of Ralph Lauren perfumes for guests to use. How impressive.

Whisky Tango Foxtrot is definitely THE place for cigar and whiskey aficionados. The service is damn good, the cigar showcase is the biggest in the country (and in Asia), and the ambience is something you won't get anywhere else. It's great for anyone who wants to enjoy and have a good time while having some puffs and drinks. Though I'm not a cigar or whiskey fan, I agree that this is a great place to hangout or spend an evening with friends. 

WTF is located at 2nd floor, 128B Jalan Kasah, Damansara Heights, KL, Malaysia. 

Visit www.whiskytangofoxtrot.my or call +60320112056 for more information.

Brotzeit German Bier Bar & Restaurant

While working for a previous company, my office was located next to Mid Valley Megamall but I only ate at Brotzeit just once with a colleague. The food was great but it wasn't a regular option for me and friends to go to for lunch. Aside from the price concern of most employees for daily meal spending, I guess Western food is not really a top choice for a lot of locals. I, on the other hand, am a fan of good Western food.

Brotzeit German Bier Bar & Restaurant, Mid Valley Megamall

Last weekend, the early celebration of my sister-in-law's birthday brought me back to Brotzeit German Bier Bar & Restaurant. I never noticed their entire menu before. There's an appetizing selection of different dishes and pastas. Most of all, they had cocktails and a decent wine selection. 

On the first page of their menu, there's a brief introduction about Brotzeit. I find this good and interesting. I'm not sure if there are other people like me who'd really read it but it's great to see that they put some effort to explain what 'Brotzeit' means and what do they promise their customers. 

Brotzeit also had a selection of red, white and sparkling wines, available in glass serving or by the bottle. But that day, I was thirsty for something else...

I'm sure, by the look of Brotzeit's bar, that they have what I'm looking for...

The bar inside Brotzeit

My brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and husband opted for Paulaner bier, of course...

But my mouth was watering for my usual classic frozen margarita. They didn't have the frozen type that I like (awww) so I settled for their classic crushed ice margarita...

Anyway, I still had a margarita and that made my night.

Margarita at Brotzeit

We had this big pork platter for dinner. Mix of pork knuckle, pork sausages, pork belly, roasted pork and meat loaf.

Here's another view. Notice the cute brand flag on top of the bone? 

The side dishes...

My dinner plate, pretending not to each so much but I actually had a few more helpings after this. Good bye to my diet plan for that day...

Lunch or dinner with my husband around won't be complete without him ordering an extra something for me. This macaroni and cheese was damn good, quite addicting, in fact. 

Good dinner, good margarita at a cozy spot inside Brotzeit was a great ender for that week. This restaurant is worth going back to, and also a nice place to hang around with friends. Cheers!

Brotzeit German Bier Bar & Restaurant in Mid Valley is located at the Ground Floor, along the same row of Maybank, Chili's and Delicious. 

Check out their Facebook page for more info and updates

https://www.facebook.com/brotzeit1516

My Wine Class Experience with Sommelier Roderick Wong

I was so delighted to have been given the opportunity to attend Mr Roderick Wong's class at Starhill Culinary Studio yesterday, 10th August 2013. It was a lovely Saturday afternoon, just a day after the 2nd Raya holiday. I parked at Pavilion KL which was busy with streams of families celebrating a great weekend then walked happily across to Starhill Gallery where Starhill Culinary Studio's wine studio was about to engulf my senses with the aromas and taste of wines. 

Themed Bubbles of the World, the class was about understanding and exploring different sparkling wines from around the world, how a sparkling wine is made, and other interesting information about this specific type of wine. 

Bubbles of the World wine class by Roderick Wong

Roderick gave us this handout which I really appreciated because it contains a lot of useful information to understand the class and the sparkling wines more.

5 different sparkling wines  Prosecco, Sekt, Cava, Champagne, Sparkling Shiraz Cabernet

Roderick Wong started the class with a detailed explanation about the Champagne method of producing sparkling wines. It involves a long process with a lot of steps: harvesting, destalking, separation of juice, fermentation, blending (assemblage/ coupage), second fermentation, ageing, riddling, disgorgement, dosage, recording and wiring. Roderick said this is already a simplified version of the process so we can easily understand. OMG, so the actual process is even more complicated than this? Seriously, kudos to those winemakers!

Roderick also shared that a lot of people often mistake Champagne for other sparkling wines and are unaware that sparkling wines are not the same as sparkling juice. Champagnes are only produced in the Champagne region of France and are governed by very strict rules to be allowed to put 'Champagne' on their label. No other region or country is allowed to use the put 'Champagne'. But due to the extreme popularity of Champagne as probably the best sparkling wine, some people assumed that any sparkling wine is called Champagne. 

Some people also thought that when somebody says sparkling wine, it is the same as the ordinary sparkling juice available at the supermarket. The truth is there are a lot of other great sparkling wines from other countries and regions aside from Champagne in France, such as: Cremant from other regions in France aside Champagne, Spumante from Italy, Cava from Spain, Sekt from Germany, Cap Classique from South Africa and more. 

Roderick also gave us a helpful list of information to what 'Brut' and other words mean for wine. 

Opening a champagne or sparkling wine bottle can be tricky so we must be very careful when uncorking one. Here Roderick demonstrates how to uncork a bottle without letting the cork fly or pop loudly. It takes an expert skill, I believe, and I wouldn't dare to open one! Apparently, most of the accidents in restaurants/ bar come from flying corks!

Roderick Wong uncorking a Champagne bottle

We started with a Laurent-Perrier Champagne (yum). It's wonderful to see it bubbling on the glass. 

Pouring Champagne

Bubbles, bubbles, bubbles. I had to catch a photo before all the bubbles disappear!

Champagne and its bubbles on my wine glass

Here I was, tasting the precious bubbly from Champagne...

And here's my good friend, Jen, sniffing a Cava (sparkling wine from Spain), the 2nd wine for the class.

Pouring the 3rd sparkling wine - Sekt from Germany...

And probably the most interesting one I saw and tried was a sparkling red wine - Shiraz Cabernet from Australia...

All the 5 sparkling wines from around the world: Champagne, Cava, Spumante, Sekt, and Sparkling Red. I personally liked the 3rd wine - Spumante from Italy.

The class wouldn't be complete without some canapés...

Roderick Wong is a very articulate, knowledgeable and approachable sommelier (wine expert). He answered our questions happily and with some interesting personal stories as well. 

Me with Roderick Wong

Jen and Roderick Wong

Jen and I also met a few hot chicks during the class...

This wine class at Starhill Culinary Studio was truly wonderful and memorable. Not only were we able to sample great sparkling wines but we really learned a lot of useful information about this beverage which is viewed by many as a luxury drink. 

Kudos to Starhill Culinary Studio and to Mr Roderick Wong for hosting such an amazing class. We'll see you again soon!

For more information about Starhill's wine classes, visit www.starhillculinarystudio.com 

For more info about upcoming events with Mr Roderick Wong, check out their FB page - The Wine Academy Malaysia

Cheers!

Delicious Dining at La Bodega

I seldom go to Bangsar Village and much less do I visit Jalan Telawi. But when good food and great wines call, there's no doubt that this area within KL is a place to be. 

My hunger brought me to La Bodega Deli one Wednesday afternoon, 7th of August to be exact, the last day before Raya holidays. I was getting ready for another wine tasting event hosted at the same venue. Anyway, I needed to grab a quick bite before my wine session. For me, wine is more enjoyable when taken with just some light food so I better not be too hungry while "wine-ing". 

I've always enjoyed La Bodega's breakfast menu: the Big breakfast, the Omelette, English breakfast, French toast, Crepe...man, they're all good. And the great thing about La Bodega Deli is that they still serve the breakfast menu in the late afternoon or early evening. Some of you may find it weird but I love it. So I ordered another favorite: Scrambled Egg with Smoked Salmon on Toast. This is, so far, the best scrambled egg I've had in my life. Not to mention the healthiest as well... Smoked salmon makes it even more delicious, good for health and good for the skin!

Of course, I'm not just in love with their breakfast menu. The pastas and tapas are mouth-watering as well. My other faves include Linguine Alfredo, Deep Fried Goat Cheese (OMG, this is really a must-try!), Calamares Fritos and Gambas al Ajillo (Tiger prawns in some delicious sauce). Well, let me save those for another post. There's so much to try. And being a cheese addict, I'd love to indulge in their cheese platter one of these days!

The La Bodega Lounge where the wine tasting event was hosted is just above the La Bodega Deli. To reach the lounge, a flight of wooden stairs is strategically placed right beside the facade of the deli. I love how the stairs, together with the paintings hung neatly on the wall, gives a warm feeling and homeliness. The Spanish theme is just a delight and very comforting. 

The lounge has a wide selection of wines and other liquors. The staff were all very friendly, quick and easy to talk to. 

The La Bodega Lounge is just perfect for spending time with friends. Great selection of food that matches well with great wines are accessible from the deli and great wines are ready to be served by the lounge. 

And so the night went on with the wine tasting. I had a wonderful time, met a lot of new and exciting group of people, and everyone went home happy (and red-cheeked!). Thanks once again to the La Bodega team for their great service. 

Here are a few of La Bodega's friendly staff...

Cheers to all of you!