Surprisingly I'm not really a chocoholics. I'd like to eat and enjoy a bar or two once in awhile but because I bake a lot for my little family... chocolate as it is isn't that a big deal for me. But when it's incorporated in cookies or... like the Chocolate Presentation that was held at Novotel... in drinks? 

I AM IN!

We got the recipes of all the drinks but unforch it's not to be shared... it's like our chocolatey sticky secret... enjoy the photos though. Will upload one vids (out of the many) just to tease you more and show you how the magic happens :) 

Of course we won't be allowed to leave without our goodie bags and I got these yumminess... thoroughly enjoyed Chocolate Coated Almond and the Milk Chocolate with fleur de sel which amazingly melts oozingly when required... ;) 

One thing I enjoyed the most with Monbana is the pretty awesome prices they have. I actually thought they'll be expensive but yey for chocoholics,,, they're not!

You can have your own Monbana treats delivered to wherever you are for a small fee... free delivery for orders AED 150 and above. 

Go to CLICK CUISINE for all your gourmet ingredient cravings!

I used to love Ping Pong,,, the sports. It's a part of my younger years which I cherish. I remember family fun, neighbors competing, high school intra-sports. I remember being the best in it. That was then. Now when I watch the Olympics, I watch my other interests, gymnastics, ice skating and those hunks swimming like a fish. Ping Pong, not so much anymore. I still like to play it once in awhile but I'm over the hype now. 

Then I learned about the other one! An Asian foodie joint that will actually make your eyes play the sports. Mine literally went gaga over the number of Dim Sums they offer. It's not the type of craziness that makes me whine and rant endlessly about quantity over quality. THIS IS DIM SUM! Bite size. Teasers. Now-you-see-it-now-you-don't magic parcels. DIM SUM joints are the only one excused from that rant. To be honest I don't know of any other Dim Sum dedicated foodie joint in town. If you know of any, leave me a comment.

I asked my hubby what he thinks of Ping Pong Dim Sum experience, the location, the price, the setting... to which he replied...

Right he is! We've been to a lot of fancy places in our lifetime and not all of them met our expectation when it comes to comforting, filling, tasty food. Our Ping Pong dinner was filled with it. Yes of course there will be some dishes that doesn't quite make it, either a square peg in a round hole or missing a little on the flavour, it's not a mood dampener because there are gajillions to choose from.

We started the evening with surprise drinks. It's like a gift waiting to unfold. 

Lemon Grass and Lime drink was a sight! Adorned with hard to miss fresh lemon grass in it... what a beauty. Taste yum too according to my foodie pal.

Next amazing drink was the Flowering Dragon Eye Tea. They got us on "dragon eye". It starts as a bud and really blooms as it infuses the hot water with its flavour. Very theatrical.

I got the adorable enjoyable Blackcurrant Bubble Tea. I enjoyed that a lot, a lot, a lot. I love 'sago' or tapioca pearls. I can see my kids loving this, drinking and giggling at the same time. It will be music to my ears!

Hubby ordered his usual drink wherever we go, Ping Pong's version is Lemon and Vanilla. It is fresh lemon, vanilla sugar and lemonade. He liked it but also couldn't contain his curiosity and ordered Flowering Dragon Eye Tea for his after meal. We enjoyed how it blossomed and he enjoyed drinking it too.

Soups
Hubby ordered Chicken Wonton Soup while I settled with Mix Mushroom Soup. Mine was the winner of course, it was creamy with a hint of acidity in it. It has depth and definitely has full of characters. I wouldn't mind catching a flu once in awhile if it means an excuse to take refuge in this mushroom's soup.

Dim Sums
I love almost everything but definitely will come back for Chicken Char Siu Bun or what I normally call "bao". I make Siu Bao myself but their bao is so fabulous that I just have to have it again. It was light and fluffy it was unbelievable. Definitely hate them for having waaay better bao than I can ever muster (not fair!). 

Sticky rice was yum too... surprise filling inside makes it a complete meal on its own. King prawn, scallop and sticky rice, steamed in a lotus leaf, it was lovely.

Lamb is one of my weak spots in cooking. Unfortunately, hubby has a soft spot for it, though he's not a big fan of lamb with sauce. He prefers it grilled or pan-fried. But when one of the guests ordered Braised Lamb Claypot and offered hubby a taste, he ended up stealing few spoonfuls. We could see how much it has taken him by surprise. For sure it will be in his "must eat again" list.

The one that didn't stand out for us were the Puff Pastry looking treats. European dish in the midst of an Asian theme they were going for. It fails in comparison to the other treats they have. It's not of the same level of flavour as the others.

I'm also not a big fun of their Sesame Prawn on Toast with fish sauce as a dipping sauce just because I make mean chunky prawn on toasts. Yup, no humbleness here, I'm going to do a mighty brag, mine is waaay better ....:P #PingPongPlsDontSueME #PingPongDon'tBanMeFromYourResto

By the time it's dessert time, we were full to the brim but munch away we must. Tough job eh? 

I enjoyed the Coconut Bun. It certainly reminded me of childhood snacks from our school canteen.  Chocolate Banana Roll is similar to our "turon" but theirs is missing on the sweet side of dessert life. Frankly, I like our turon over their roll. It has to be the banana they used since the method is the same. If they use the "saba" banana from Philippines and add a little brown sugar, it will taste hundred times better. I say they should make it for their test kitchen and compare.

The awesomelicious night ended with a delectable note still lingering our palates and a grin still plastered on our faces. 

It was relaxed, surrounded by food jam packed with flavours. Add never ending chat about foodie joints, laughter about foodies ultimate disorder - paparazziness. That's paparazi mixed with craziness. How our spouses or family members have to endure every meal as a photo op. Family members usual line is:

Shame I have not had the chance to see their outside seating. I got so distracted. I heard it has a very good view of the Dancing Fountain. With the weather so ideal now, it should be fun to come back with our kids. 

If I may sum up what Ping Pong's customer consideration is all about? It will be "every gesture, big or small, counts". 

The benches with no back rest - a person can only sit so upright for so long. Dim Sum eating needs time, lots of time. It's like having yoga while having a meal. It's like a version of reflection by foodies. You want to be grounded yet relaxed.

The stand alone wash basin - dim sum eating can easily be 'finger food' style dining. Why settle for just towelettes when you can freely wash your hands before and after your meal.

Different choices of dining table arrangement - options, a luxury they offer guests which are not too frequently given to us.

Partial open kitchen - tastes are heightened when you think that your presence is a part of your dish's preparation. I love seeing stacks of bamboo steaming pans in action.

Online booking - a lot of people now prefers emails over phone calls just because the latter option has time limit and it does not necessarily creates records for future reference. Online booking is really the way to go nowadays.

Nutritional information - if you click on the dish via their website, Nutritional Information will pop up to give you a chance to prepare and know what you will be munching on or avoid any if you have allergies.

As I wander about taking shots of the restaurant, I noticed the writings on the .... ceiling. Chinese characters that says...

Sounds very Ping Pong. 

Lazy Fridays Promotion
Dim Sums are morish? then go for their ALL YOU CAN EAT DIM SUM. AED 135 for adults and kids under 12 years old can enjoy them for only AED 65.

Also have Monday Mocktails and Sunday Funday, check them all out in www.pingpongdimsum.ae

Ping Pong Dim Sum is located at Dubai Mall's Lower Ground Floor, close to the food court.
If you still prefer calling over online facility, their number is +971 4 339 9088

I won this via Channel 4 FM early last year. Fun times then, Vicky White and Rob were still hosting the morning show.

What a treat! Looking at this photo collage still makes me smile.... big, like Joker BIG mouth smile. It was something I did not expect at all. This is the kind of treat that under promised but definitely without a doubt, over delivered. A year after and my heart still swells of joy.

Up there, looking at how beautiful this place is, through a different perspective, really just incredible. This tour holds a special place in my heart, it was that memorable.

I know nothing about taking nice pictures then. I even took lots of shots of just tips of my hair, the button of my nose, some even just seat's headrest. It was basically a hit and miss. 

I just took as many as possible and hope some are clear enough. I did know how to work with the camera. Didn't know anything about adjusting lens. Clueless about lighting too... so bear with the photos.

Everyone in the plane was too busy taking pictures of the view and themselves. It was an odd yet funny visual. Imagine a plane-ful of people holding camera with the lens facing themselves because they were too shy to ask other passengers to take a picture of each them when the view outside will disappear at any moment. It was a frenzy of trigger happy tourists.

One spectacular view gets replaced by an equally mesmerizing one and for at least 30 to 45 minutes, we were all in awe. A trance that we really did not want to get out of.

Dubai up there is an ABSOLUTE beauty. 

If you have a chance to grab a trip through Seawings. Do so. I know Cobone sometimes offers Seawings Tour with Afternoon Tea and other great deals, take it. 

I promise you, you will not be disappointed. Even if you buy a tour on its regular price, it is sooooo worth it.

Of course if you are scared of heights, might not be the best deal for you, stay on the ground then. :)

SEAWINGS: DUBAI +971 4 807 0708

http://www.seawings.ae/

Moons and moons ago, I distinctly remember a lovely Soup on Bread Bowl which hubby and I enjoyed at Coco's Deira City Centre. Trying to remember what else we had seems to be quite an effort. It was as if it fell into the abyss of my food memory, not that memorable then. Indeed it wasn't.

 I, hubby, our two boys and their nanny arrived at Coco's barely filled restaurant at Sheikh Zayed Road on a mid Saturday. Granted it's past the usual lunch time, it still looked odd. Then again, Dubai is saturated with gajillions of dining choices that they really have to be on top of their game to convert curious diners into patrons.

Based on our experience, I don't know how many converts they have made, we definitely are not.

We sat down in one of the the booths and received a thick menu. We are pretty surprised at the number of dishes that is in it.

Thirty-eight (38) options for breakfast. One hundred thirty-seven (137) for lunch/dinner. Seventeen (17) desserts and the remaining Twenty-three (23) are for drinks. Too many to create at its best and for diners like myself, it was confusing for my appetite. Nevertheless since we are already there, we thought we might as well try to enjoy the meal. I had a feeling though that mediocrity is inevitable. It was quantity over quality and it's never a great thing. I'd rather go to a small place that offers ten outstanding dishes than infinite forgettable ones.

I told the server I want to order fajita, which he immediately shut down with, "Oh, that's very spicy". And since he made the assumption that I couldn't handle spicy, I asked him how did it fair to him when he tried it, to which he replied, "it's one step milder from Indian spice". Duh? So I asked again, "yes, I heard yah but what do you think of it?" That's me showing him how assumptions sound, me hoping that he sees where I'm heading to. Knowing that his tolerance of spice has no bearing on mine, I'd like to push the button and assume away the way he was doing it. Like talking to a smart mouth wall he replied, "I DON'T KNOW since I don't know how much spice you can take". I would have enjoyed interrogating him until he realizes how arrogant and nonsensical he sounded but we're not in court and I'm trying my best to keep my excitement up for the soup.

I just wish F&B management train their staff up to the mark and consistently remind them of what standard service is, most especially what manners are. 

I find it ridiculous sometimes that some staff take the lazy road or the subpar level expecting us to cut them a slack just because they're from the same country as where we came from. I really take offense and find it discriminatory. Why attend to customers differently based on nationality? At the end of the day, we are all paying customers. We don't want you to treat us special, we only asked fair.

Anywho, we proceeded and ordered Baked Potato and Cream of Broccoli Soups in Bread Bowls. Deep Fried Calamari. Mixed Fajita to share, one of the burgers for my hubby while our oldest boy chose Gone Fishing and Chips. The youngest decided for Champ's Chunky Chicken Strips. 

Our soups arrived and we were very happy with it. Even my kids were impressed. The presentation, the taste, it really was a soup experience, one which I would like to re-create at home. Between the two soups? Baked potato was the clear winner. Broccoli was top notch too but just a tad lower than the potato.

Happy ever after however ended after the soups arrived.

The soup came, kid's meals, starters, main course... I guess what I'm trying to say is, they served every single dish we ordered all at the same time! The whole table was filled with food. While we were "trying" our best to enjoy the soup, we had to tuck into the calamari before it gets cold. Also keeping in mind the main dishes that's quickly losing its warmth.

So irritating that hubby had to say something. Clenched jaw and trying his best not to lose it, he told the server the right way to serve food. The difference between courses and the importance of enjoying the meal hot.

Server was apologetic a little too late. Damage was already done. Our meal felt like a disaster. Appetite disappearing fast. He retreated to the kitchen's entrance where somehow every single server retreats to.

What do we think of our meal?

Bread rolls with butter on the side was okay, tasted commercial as opposed to baked fresh in-house.  Calamari was okay but I think they could have done better with the dip. There's nothing extra ordinary, we're not expecting it to be superb in the first place.

Since the server did not bother to ask how hubby wanted his burger patty done, it arrived well done of course. Seriously? If I wanted a template burger, I'll just go to MickeyD's or some other fast food chain. Assuming how a particular customer like their meat done, is total no-no. This server looked like his guide on how to attend to us was based on our nationality. Assumptions like that really irks me to no end. Lucky for him, hubby does like his burger well done, I like mine cooked medium and sometimes I even like mine medium rare. Had it been my order, it would have been a pretty interesting and entertaining discussion. 

Burger verdict? Hubby said it was like any other burger, there's nothing special to it. There's nothing that separates them from other fast food chains. The chips that came with it were like every other too, from a huge packet, ready to be fried. Definitely not hand cut. His meal was ho-hum.

Moving on to my curious Fajita. Lackluster to say the least. The Mexican rice was uber spicy which overpowered everything else. Chicken strips were dry, so, honestly, this dish did not do it for me, at all. Not the beef strips which were also forgettable, not the onions or capsicums that came with it, nothing in the dish will ever make me order it again. Definitely, spicier than Indian food, I think they miss the mark on this dish altogether. Fajita is sooooo hard to do wrong... but they managed. Maybe it's time to revise their recipe? If the server felt the urge to jump in and warn customers, it only means he knows it's not a tasty dish to fork your dirhams over. Only problem is, he didn't really communicate well.

My kids enjoyed their meal which was puzzling. I tasted both their meals and it tasted like the ones that came out of a box. I think they will say the same thing had I fed them "Smiley Meals"... meaning, no difference in taste, just difference in price. Disappointing.

Will we ever come back to Coco's again? Maybe not. I think I'll just look for another place to get my soup in bread bowl fix. I'm not willing to pay for forgettable meals and endure disappointing service.

Don't take my word for it though... explore. Consistency has always been an issue in most F&B outlets, so there's a chance that our dining experience could be different from yours. If you do happen to dine at Coco's and find a dish that redeems them or had a better service than what we received, drop me a line via comments!

If Coco's team read this? I think it's time you overhaul your menu and have some focus. Under promise but over deliver. It certainly has better results than the other way around.

www.cocosme.ae seems to be under construction. Right now it's a static one pager.

Branches: 
Deira City Center - 042953777
Khalid Al Attar Tower, SZR - 043326333
Jumeirah Beach Residence - 044243740

Friday Brunch is so popular in this place that it has become like a normal thing to do on a Friday. Too late for breakfast yet too early for lunch,,, have a brunch then! Frankly, it has become a common meal in the UAE that sometimes F&B outlets throw it way too casually and charge way too high and sadly not all are satisfying as the others. Not in Holiday Inn Abu Dhabi's Silk Route Cafe though. When they announced the Re-launch of their Friday Brunch, we were more than happy to oblige and enjoy the better part of the day with them. 

What makes their Brunch unique is how they use their position to support a good cause, The Make A Wish Foundation. Think about it, people are more generous when they are well-fed or are on their way to being well-fed. 

They donate the proceeds of every "Star Coffee" ordered by guests. Brunch is at least four hours. Even if the guest orders only one coffee with his brunch, that's already a few Dirhams to the Make A Wish Foundation. And that's just me estimating conservatively. I'm sure they get more donations than just one coffee. 

They also have a story book for sale on display at their reception. A book published by Sheikha Shamma Bint Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan titled "The Lost Princess". I don't have a little girl but I couldn't pass the opportunity to make a donation since the proceeds of its sales go to the same foundation.

Now tell me, how often does any hotel or F&B outlet go out of their way to support a charity? Not very often. 

I am sometimes very suspicious about events supporting charities. As awful as it sounds, sometimes I assume that some events piggyback on the concept of "giving" as a marketing stint. Not this one. The level of service and the carefully selected dishes on the spread speaks for itself. If they are as consistently good as how they were when we had our brunch, I think The Make a Wish Foundation will receive a pretty good contribution from Holiday Inn Abu Dhabi.

After digesting enough information on how to support TMAWF, I thought it's time to get down to business for moi. So start I did.

First things first, their concoction, the White Lady. If I remember correctly, Gin, Cointreau and Lemon Juice mixture... some more please! I had this before my coffee which wasn't a very good idea. I sort of missed a whole stretch of Chafing Dishes and it bugs me to death that I don't know what was in them!

I'm not really one to taste everything in buffet. I eat more on ala carte to be honest. I feel like a buffet fools your brain into already feeling full because your eyes already had a feast. Let's just say we were there for more than three hours and I wasn't just busy taking pictures.

I believe their buffet albeit not as vast as others I have been to, gave diners enough to choose from. 

Sometimes, too much options is not good for the soul. The more options there is, the more food will be wasted at the end of the meal. Nod your head... that makes sense :) I do feel a little bit bothered with that and I can't really enjoy my meal while thinking of what happens next.

This brunch was an enjoyable one and I wish my older son was well enough to be in the mood to tag along. He sure missed a whole lot.

They also have a Live BBQ station outside... imagine an ice cold drink with a fabulous weather to boot... 

Dessert definitely did not disappoint... my fave was the cherry mango something... sorry forgot what it's called but that's a super dooper winnah! They have other delectable desserts, some healthy ones like fruits but really? I'm not going to choose fruits over desserts made by pro chefs ... I can always eat fruits at home.

Brunch being a family thing... kids of course have their own little world. Kid's zone. Cartoons, toys, their own buffet with matching sweet treats.. and parent's prolly not allowed since my 5-year old kicked me out when I was taking pictures of them. No worries for mom's like me... there is a very friendly child minder in the zone... the only adult that is seemed to be be welcome by kids.

Special Thanks to Kitsch Cupcakes for our bonus treats. It's always a good thing when other organization supports a cause like the Make A Wish Foundation. It shows how businesses aren't just all about the bottom line.

If you're visiting Abu Dhabi, already in Abu Dhabi or wanting to have an excuse to go? Include the Friday Brunch in your agenda. Have a fabu-licious time supporting a good cause. International Brunch for AED 120 with unlimited soft drinks or upgrade it to AED 150 to have your brunch with bubbly and house beverages. Kids under 6 years old eat for free! 

Now how fabu-licious is that?

When I first heard of Turquoiz, I thought, "what a chic name!?" Knowing that turquoise means the alluring ocean, I knew I'm up for a treat!

Media dinner occurred one week after opening, a very brave move for the team to throw themselves into the deep and test how well they'll survive. Needless to say, they were indeed on teething stage and to add to the pressure, the excitement to taste what they offer tantalised not just myself but closed to 50 other individuals. They surely didn't expect such a high turn-up. In this part of the world... last minute cancellations occur too frequently. Turquoiz launch was different. I think 90-95% of invited guests arrived. 

And so when hubby and I walked into the restaurant's beach side,  they had to squeeze us in, in one of the long tables they have prepared. It looked as though, those tables were not initially prepared to grow that long! It is never disappointing to see more guests than expected. Just goes to show how much of a heavy weight this place and St. Regis Saadiyat Island is.

Finally seated, hubby and I browsed the tables and definitely there is no shortage of seafood. The set-up looked grand with plates after plates of seafood delights. Shrimp cocktails, chilled oysters, crab claws, calamari are just a few. And don't get me started with the drinks! "Oh hello mojito... it's nice to meet you!" I love reds too so let's just say I was a lot merrier after a few.

While enjoying the spread, I overheard the talk about the pre-seat down bites. Fabulously scrumptious were words I never thought I'll hate to hear. Only because WE WEREN'T THERE to enjoy it. Fish and chips served in paper cone while watching the beautiful sunset? I was really not happy we missed it. They couldn't stop talking about it until dessert! Reminder to myself, "travel to Abu Dhabi requires at least one hour". It also didn't help that the walk to Turquoiz was a little distracting, what with the lapping pool water, splashing ocean waves and the grand lights emanating from the building, we were like Hansel and Gretel, wanting to go home but just couldn't.

I can only imagine how enchanting it will all be during daytime, which we will witness soon (I hope). 

Our dinner started with:
Beetroot Salmon Carpaccio - beetroot cured salmon, mixed herbs and mustard sour cream
Mackerel Salad - mackerel with fennel, blood orange and pomegranate glaze
Tuna Tartar - with tomato consommé and squid ink dressing

To be followed by (the plan):
Seafood Risotto - risotto with crab meat, calamari, green peas and pea shoots 
Surf and Turf - grilled beef, shrimp and potato purée
Vegetable Tart - aubergine caviar, sun-dried tomato, wild mushroom, goat cheese and watercress purée

As for dessert, it was lip smackingly yummilicious Chocolate Texture. Crunchy sponge with frozen bitter chocolate dust, caramel sauce, chocolote mousseux and cocoa nib tuile 

I certainly enjoyed the presentations and the unapologetic display of cooking and serving techniques. I for one would rather dine out than re-create them. Those lady dishes, finesse as ever has "delicate" written all over it. Really exquisite. I am indeed impressed.

However, to be honest, I was looking forward to the Surf and Turf and the Vegetable Tart which was skipped due to the amount of dishes already served. It was getting quite late and some (mostly ladies) were a bit full. 

In any case, for the rest of the expecting guests, especially the gentlemen, it was a bit of a let down because I could see they were reserving their appetites for the grilled beef and shrimp. I couldn't for the life of me imagine these burly guys eating delicate food such as what was offered and feel satisfied. If there's anything, I saw them looking at the menu and whispering (which meant talking loudly) about the Surf and Turf. 

Don't get me wrong, guests did not leave hungry. Dessert for sure left a happy note. But I think it's safe to say that the gentlemen wanted more. 

As for I and hubby, we plan to come back with a vengeance and try out the "manly dishes" I saw in their menu. Mmmm Mmmm Mmmm, they look and sound delicious. I am definitely psyched!

Lunch Menu (click to view)
Dinner Menu (click to view)


Overall, Turquoiz team did a great job and they certainly know (now) which areas to improve the next time around a whole battalion attack their restaurant. (",)

With our dinner done. We were given a little tour to see the hotel. Saw their other restaurants (definitely eyeing 55&5th and Sontaya), walked down their grand hallways and checked out one of their many fabulous rooms. 

Suffice to say, this will most probably be a series review. We were invited to come back and have lunch at Sontaya (their Southeast Asian Restaurant that gives you the illusion you are dining in a floating restaurant!) and so until my next St. Regis post! Enjoy the view! and DON'T WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW!

This video is not for the faint-hearted. You will feel a salad of emotions, gooey chocolaty sweetness, a bubbly excitement and a tad pinch of spicy envy. Watch at your own peril!