A Thing For Chocolate

"Therapy is expensive but eating chocolate is just as effective and much cheaper"

- A Thing For Chocolate

**

This place is such a gem! Two weeks ago in Montréal, my friends recommended an amazing chocolate house called Juliette et Chocolat. My boyfriend and I decided to go on a double date with our new couple friends Adam and Cindy, while everyone else goes out to a nightclub. Woosh! Absolutely worth it. We were impressed and I have concluded that night that chocolate, is one of my absolute favourite things in this whole wide world.

Anyway, back to the point. I came back to Ottawa, hoping to find a good chocolate house just like it is Juliette et Chocolat. I went on Google, and came upon A Thing For Chocolate. The reviews are good, the food looks amazing, and walah! I messaged A&C, and we went on yet another double date this morning to A Thing For Chocolate for brunch.

Although small, this chocolate house is nice and cozy. It has wonderful settings, atmosphere, and the quotes hanging around the walls are absolutely spot on.

We were greeted by (who we later knew) the owner, Omar, took a seat and looked through the menu! Arh, we were all starving by then and everything just looked so good!

Prices are listed in $CAD (Canadian dollars)* my dear Malaysian readers.

To change it to RM, simply multiply by 3.

In the end, Alex and I decided to go with a Savory crêpe- Chef, and a Sweet crêpe- House Special w/dark hazelnut chocolate spread; Adam and Cindy decided to go with two Savory crêpes- Cordon Bleu and La Classic.

It was amazing because we got to see him make the crêpes!

Omar is such a wonderful guy! He was happily conversing with us while making our orders (without burning our crêpes hahaha) :)

Walah! It took less than 10 mins and our brunch was served.

Savory crêpes come with a side of salad.

We all took our first bites and mmmm- we have immediately decided to return in the near future. It was ABSOLUTELY mouthwatering and damn the prices were reasonable!

Later, Adam was still hungry and ordered a Sweet crêpe- Canadian with a scoop of chocolate ice cream! Boy did it look good. Cindy on the other hand, ordered a slice of Chocolate Cheesecake.

One of the BEST BEST BEST cheesecakes I've ever had. I had a spoon and mmmmmm!!! It was too good! Was unfortunately too full to get another!

ps the cheesecake did not come with the Oreo cookie on top (I happened to have one in my breakfast bag so I decorated it hahaha), but it did come with an Oreo cookie base!

All in all, it was a wonderful experience and I highly recommend it to anyone who's not just craving for beautiful crêpes, but simply a good breakfast/lunch! :)

A Thing For Chocolate  

<1262 Wellington West>

Opening hours:

Closed on Mondays

(Tues-Sat)- 9:00am-8:00pm

(Sunday)- 10:00am-7:00pm

**

Christmas came early for us! Adam & Cindy, one of the loveliest people we've met bought Alex and I a chocolate/cheese melting pot! Was absolutely thrilled and cannot wait to use it soon!

Ah, they know my heart to chocolate, chocolate, and lots of chocolates.

Thank you so much, you two! Lots of hearts for ya ❤❤❤❤❤❤

Great morning with great company.

x.

Messy plates, heavenly dish.

The only way to get more time to study for your midterms is to go out and eat (I know this doesn't make sense but preparing ingredients and making lunch takes a lot of time too!)—sorry mum, I promise this is my first and one and only (because #student$problem).

Last year Summer, my Egyptian friend, Mo, brought Anne and I to this wonderful shawarma place called Shawarma Palace. I've never had shawarma so I was particularly excited to try one out. We walked into this place and it was WOW—one of the most well maintained and fancy "fast food" restaurant I've ever been to in Ottawa!

And there I was again today. I have recommended this restaurant to Alex ever since last year Summer, but we have yet to find time to visit so we decided to go today because I had to leave home in a few hours to write my midterm at school anyway. 

Kaboom. Restaurant still as pretty as ever.

We then walked over to the order station and looked up at the menu. With my quick little math mind, I calculated the price of 2 chicken shawarma(s)—$10.50 in total, $5.25 each. But I liked the roasted potatoes, so if we had to get a small side of $4.69-ish, it'd be about $15.19 in total. Then I looked over to the customer in front of us who ordered a chicken shawarma plate, priced $12.75 (approx.). Holy shawarma. It was a huge plate and absolutely perfect for two (or even three!) people to share! So I quickly told Alex about it and we decided to go with the chicken shawarma plate.

DO NOT LET THE MESSY PLATING MESS WITH YOUR HEAD. IT IS ONE OF THE BEST FOOD I'VE EVER HAD IN AWHILE. 

What's on the plate?

• Roasted chicken
• White rice (you can also change it to brown rice)
• Salad (lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, pink radish, etc.)
• Roasted potatoes
• Hummus & some garlic sauce I believe
• Two shawarma bread at the side

I absolutely agree it was hard to take the food out of the plate and stuff it into the shawarma bread but take your time and do it slowly. It's worth the patience. It was absolutely delicious and honestly, it was too big of a dish for even two of us who eat a lot. So if you really want to try out something new with your friends, especially when food taste, price, and place ambience are factors you take into consideration when going to a restaurant, I highly recommend Shawarma Palace.

This particular restaurant is located by Bank/Hunt Club. To Ottawans, get to Greenboro/South Keys station, and take the 1 bus towards Rockcliffe, and get off at Bank/Hunt Club. Alternatively, you can take the 98, 114, or 143, and get off at Hunt Club/Bank and walk across the street to get there.

If you live around downtown, I believe they have two other franchise locations. Check out http://www.shawarmapalace.ca/menu.html! :) Not really sure if they've updated their menu in a while, but the Hunt Club branch offers a small selection of non Lebanese food as well (e.g. chicken wings, etc.)

Till next time,

x.

Thanksgiving 2014

Hello lovely readers,

It's been awhile since I updated my blog, so here I am, blogging about what/why I'm thankful this Thanksgiving 2014.

Thanksgiving is a North American thing.

2 years ago when I came to Canada, I had never thought about being with a family for Thanksgiving, nor did I even think of celebrating Thanksgiving (because again, it is a North American thing).

But I did, and it's all thanks to my lovely boyfriend's family, for adopting me that night, and gave me the most wonderful feeling of being home again.

The first Thanksgiving was really about the turkey and gravy, stuffing (I didn't even know what it was before), beans, and what not. It was LITERALLY all about the North American cuisine that I've never tried before. Yeeeeeeee, they were SO GOOD. Like, SOOO GOOD *faints (Everyone should know by now I'm a foodie).

The second Thanksgiving was really about being a baby. It was spent with my landlord/lady, their daughter, and my housemates (Gabby & Bev). We had everyone talked about what they were thankful for, and if you missed my Facebook status last year, I teared when it came to my turn, and had to ask, "S.. o.. rry. Can you come back to me?"

I missed my family and wished they were there with me.

(Keep in mind I still haven't gone home to Malaysia (the place I was born and raised for 17 years with my tight-knit family) ever since I got to Canada)

The third Thanksgiving was really about Thanksgiving. There were no turkey, no stuffing, no beans. I was back to the same loving family who adopted me the first year. But there was me who am and was thankful for all I have and had this year-- because to me, 2014 is absolutely the BEST YEAR I've ever had so far in my life.

Why, you ask? Here's why.

• (January) for being able to spend the new year at Toronto, Canada with my loved one.

• (January) for being able to watch the Winter Olympics 2014.
• (February) for celebrating a wonderful, slightly surprised 19th birthday with my friends.
• (February) for planning and celebrating a surprise 20th birthday dinner for my love @ Vittoria Tritorria

• (February) for my travel trip to Belleville & Picton with Angeline. Thanks love! 
• (April) for getting to know MBC/M better <3
• Malaysian Born Chinese/Malay; a group of Malaysian friends studying @ Carleton!
• (April) for the grades I've gotten for Sophomore year. Hard work paid off.
• (April) for being able to get on the Board of Directors for UNICEF Carleton.
• Co-Director of Communications (Marketing & Advertising)
• (April) for being able to get on the Executive Committee for M@C (Malaysians@Carleton).
• Treasurer
• (April) for being part of the Sprott Marketing Students' Association
• VP Social
• (May) for being able to visit the Annual Tulip Festival, again!

• (May-June) for some of the most fun courses and instructors I've ever had [Finance, IB, HR]
• (June) for a new addition to the Seah family- well kinda hehe (... only got to know in July!)
• (July) for getting a chance to hear and see Michael Buble LIVE!

• (July 9th) for my parents' hard worked $$ to fly me back to Malaysia! (Best day ofmilife)
• I kept this a secret from probably 90% of my Malaysian friends and had some amazing and hilarious days surprising some of them (hoho)
• (July) for being able to SEE MY FAMILY (+Singapore relatives) AND SEE ALL MY FRIENDS AGAIN!

• (July) for my best friend of 13 years' birthday present to me. So touched. Thanks Wailee!

• (July) for the wonderful chance to welcome my one and only Canadian boyfriend, Alex, to mah home, Malaysia!
• Dream come true--bringing someone (I love?!) around my country and giving him the chance to experience the environment I grew up in? Best feeeeeeeling! #proudmalaysian

• (July) for the chance to introduce him to all my friends I grew up with!
• Cempaka friends, CIMP friends, etc.

• (August) for my parents taking the time off to bring us around Malaysia! 
• Penang, Johor, Perak, etc.

(Grandpa's house, Johor)

(Cameron Highlands, Perak)

• (August) for hosting and surprising my younger sister on her 17th birthday
• Lunch buffet @ 360° Rotating Restaurant KL Tower, Aquarium & Observation Deck visit 

• (August) for the chance to parasail with my love in Batu Ferringhi, Penang (Ahh! Bucket list, ☑)

• (August) for the chance to travel to Taiwan, again, with my loved ones!

• (August) for writing and letting go my first ever (traditional white) floating lantern in Shangri-la Resort, Yilan, Taiwan (Ahh! Bucket list, ☑)
• And did it again with a PINK one in Shifen, Taiwan (Ahh! Bucket list, ☑)

• (August) for being able to see my 3rd aunt and Taiwanese cousin after so many years.
• (August) for my entire late Summer spent at home and everyone's safe flight back to where they were supposed to be.
• (September) for another year with the man of my dreams.
• (September) for being able to teach yet another class of wonderful 1st year Business students.
• Teaching Assistant BUSI1800
• (September) for having a house to live in.
• (October) for winning ChiqFliq's first ever Giveaway Contest!
• 1st time = 1st win. So so blessed. Thank you once again, ChiqFliq! Girls, do check out their website (linked above^)-- they have wonderful outfits!

• (October) for being able to get on board the Sprott Finance Students' Association's exec team.
• VP Marketing
• (October) for having the chance to get on board The Fund @ Sprott.
• Marketing and Administrative Manager
• (October) for the funniest home-Karaoke session I've ever been to at the Longval's for Thanksgiving.
• Seriously tho.

... and many many more to come.

All in all, I am thankful for the good health and happiness everyone I love and care (including but not limited to my ever favourite Seah+Longval families, Choong Wen friends, Cempakans, CIMPians, Multicultural Bananas, Ninja Buddies, Carleton friends, housemates- Shana, Diana, Bev) has and I hope they will have for the rest of their lives. 

最後, 在這裏獻上我喜歡的歌詞之一:

天地雖寬 這條路卻難走 我看遍這人間坎坷辛苦
我還有多少愛 我還有多少淚 要蒼天知道 我不認輸

感恩的心 感謝有你 伴我一生 讓我有勇氣做我自己
感恩的心 感謝命運 花開花落 我一樣會珍惜 －取至於楊培安 <感恩的心> 

x.

Red Lobster || Fresh fish, Live lobster

Greetings! Here's (yet) another post about food, just because (그냥~ ㅋ)! :) So I went to Red Lobster yesterday after knowing they are offering a special, limited dine-in dish called the Seafood Trios. So what it is, basically, is a dish of 3 different "types" of food from a selection of menus, for a sweet deal of $18.99 plus tax & tips*.

*Canada rate.
Here's the menu for the seafood trio:

Like any other fancy restaurants, Red Lobster greeted us with some appetizers- their Signature biscuits. They were absolutely gorgeous and mind you, they can be really filling, so don't eat up the entire basket (unless you are sharing with others) before you have your main.

Crispy and topped with well-salted garlic cheese spread.

After the (unlimited) appetizer comes the salad of your choice:

The traditional Caesar salad or Garden salad (of all kinds of dressings of your choice as well).

Traditional Caesar Salad.

Italian dressing- Garden Salad.

Well of course by the look of it, before the meal came, my tummy was pretty much satisfied. BUT, the main was the highlight, so I still had to try at least some of it. Of course, it was a seafood restaurant & I was there just for that, so I went all-out with the NEWs- Almond-Crusted Fire-Grilled Salmon, Crispy Coconut Chili-Ginger Shrimp, and Spicy Shrimp Linguini Fra Diavolo.

Looks good, eh? Tastes EVEN BETTER!

Almond-Crusted Fire-Grilled Salmon.

Very cripsy almonds topped on the well marinated salmon.

Also a good match with the herbed rice!

Crispy Coconut Chili-Ginger Shrimp.

Mm, one of the best shrimps I've ever tried! The coconut was perfectly coated in the batter and the pineapple relish complimented the breaded shrimps so well.

Spicy Shrimp Linguini Fra Diavolo.

Fantastic, hot and spicy, mouth-watering pasta. 

Very filling, however, considering there's rice with the salmon on the same dish.

Another combination.

Almond-Crusted Fire-Grilled Salmon- Garlic Shrimp - Lobster Mac and Cheese

Lobster Mac and Cheese.

This dish is extremely rich and creamy! If you are a cheese-lover, this is definitely for you!

Overall, it was a wonderful experience as my tummy was SUPER satisfied! I was super satisfied too! I couldn't finish mine unfortunately (because I ate that whole plate of salad + 2 biscuits prior to the meal), but take away was fine & I packed it for lunch today! Our very kind server had also brought 4 biscuits for us to-go because well, it was unlimited!

Unfortunately, Red Lobster is only having this deal till the 25th of May. So if you are a seafood lover, I urge you to go give it a try! :) There are 2 locations in Ottawa:

Red Lobster

1595 Merivale Road
Nepean, ON K2G3J4

613-727-0035

Red Lobster

1499 St. Laurent Blvd
Ottawa, ON K1G0Z9

613-744-7560

& many more around North America and Middle East! For more information, visit www.redlobster.com

If you are too late, worry not! Because Red Lobster also has a sweet $18.99 deal for a 4-course meal! It's on the permanent menu so it's all good :) I've personally tried it & they were really good too!

Happy Sea-Food!

x.