Update - 9th December 2014: The figures marked in bold are the new charges for both lei cha and salad sushi.

A word of warning: Some of the words were copied directly or paraphrased from my Writer's Craft portfolio on Organic Freshmart. To those who've read it from cover to cover or seen glimpses of it, please refrain from making remarks about the stark familiarity.Feeling exceptionally lazy to whip up the dinner, we remained behind in the restaurant after purchasing the bi-weekly ingredients. There may be a belief or stereotype that organic meals are not only pricey but bland, but that is not the truth here; the owner intends to break that label by introducing a variety of healthy, cheaper and tasty dishes for the diners. The atmosphere, on the contrary, is homely and welcoming; it is reminiscent of families coming together at the dining table and sharing the juiciest events of the day. Among the many decorative items reminiscent of it are the gas lamps and wooden table and chairs. The loud buzzing of conversations can be heard as soon as you enter the restaurant. Depending on the hour, you may have to wait before you can be brought to a vacant table, and for all of you, meat and egg lovers reading this post, you'll have to consider giving this restaurant a miss because soy and tofu are being used as meat replacements in the making of all dishes.Raw ingredients: seaweed, tofu, carrot, corn, rice, cabbage, beans, black wood ear mushroom and tempeh (fermented tofu)

The bowl of lei cha (RM 8.90) [as of 9th December 2014, it is RM 9.90 per bowl] that we ordered was delivered in a matter of minutes to our table with the accompanying soup. The various tastes of all ingredients have been combined into one homogenous blend but the flavors aren't overriding each other or fighting for supremacy; it intermingles perfectly. There are two ways of consuming this: it's either you eat the vegetables and end the meal with the soup or mixing the soup and vegetables together. I personally prefer the second option because we can be greedy when it comes to this dish and like to have a bite of everything. The lei cha soup contains a refreshing taste as the inclusion of basil herb lays the foundation and the strong scent of sesame oil plays its part by lifting the dishes higher, coating the throat with its whiff. You can feel the ideal tang with each sip (or spoonful).

What about the salad sushi (RM 7.90) [as of 9th December 2014, it is RM 8.90 per plate]? Well, it is the restaurant's remake of the ever-popular Japanese sushi that contains vinegared rice rolled with cucumber slices, imitation crabsticks and a selected type of fish such as unagi or tuna. In this vegetarian twist, carefully chopped and rotated inside a sheet of Chinese rice roll - chee cheong fun - is a variety of raw, sliced vegetables: carrot, turnip and cucumber. The slight addition of vegetarian mayonnaise, which uses silken tofu and copious amount of soy milk instead, enriches the dish by integrating all of the contrasting flavors into a homogenized one. It surprisingly tastes so great that you will never be able to notice the absence of eggs. A spoonful of sweet acar is included, consisting of sliced and fermented carrot and cucumber with an added punch of chili powder and a slight dash of chopped peanuts. Name: Organic Freshmart Restaurant

Address: 17 and 19, Jalan SS 18/1B,

47500 Subang Jaya,

Selangor

Telephone: 03-5636 2468

"There's nothing I want more than to be in my favorite haunt, watching the traffic increase and decrease like an electrocardiogram in the serenity."

Read here for my first visit earlier.

It was an impromptu trip to Chilla Cup after running the weekly errands at Cold Storage and Justlife on a cool yet mundane Saturday hence the mini review. The slow lull of the day's melody greeted me with a familiar embrace as I entered the coffeehouse, my order at the tip of my fingers and waiting for the employee to process the payment.

This is one of the favorite haunts to hang out in because not only is the atmosphere welcoming, it has the power to allow me to gather my thoughts and reflect - even with the buzzing crowd around me. The furniture were well-placed so as to prevent any mishaps happening. The ceiling-to-floor glass windows eliminated the use of extra lights during the day. The baristas are friendly and if you're unsure of what to order for your meals or drinks, they will recommend the house specialty and best-selling ones. The menu has been upgraded - with the use of Photoshop, methinks.A partial view of the indoor seating space

The overall aura of the coffeehouse doesn't leave you constricted for space at all. No matter where you sit in the indoor seating area, you still have a view of the baristas making rounds after rounds of different coffees but the main kitchen is hidden from view. There are couches placed around the windows fronting the main road and the walkway outside of the café for those long chats and tired legs.Hot Cappuccino (RM 11.00)

The sweet-smelling aroma of the coffee drew me into a world where there's nothing but pure happiness as the waiter delivered the fresh coffee to our table. After nodding my thanks, I sank my face into the cup; the deliciously tantalizing taste of the roasted coffee smoothly glided down my throat, coating my taste buds with each sip. For me, I don't pay much attention to the stencil because I believe that the flavors are more important and it is capable of making or breaking the caffeine experience. The accompanying cookie was a sweet contrast; it carried with it just the right amount of sugar. The first bite prepares you for the introduction of the sugar explosion with each succeeding bite. Original Pretzels (RM 4.90)

The hot, made-to-order pretzel was a lovely addition to the strong cappuccino we had. The fragrance is enough to tempt one to delve into the dish and suffusing the air, containing just the right amount of salt that spanned from the pinch of sea salt sprinkled on the top of the dough. There are 5 varieties to this and if you're the one who loves the pretzels with an added punch, you can choose from 6 types of fillings.

I haven't sampled their breakfast dishes or desserts (except the scones that are now longer available) yet, though. Name: Chilla Cup Cafe

Address: G23, Ground Floor, IPC Shopping Centre,

No.2, Jalan PJU 7/2 Mutiara Damansara 47800 Petaling Jaya, Selangor

Tel : +603-7732 0175

Website: http://chillacup.com/v2/index.php

Opening Hours: Mon - Sun 10am to 10p

In reference to the post titled "Christmas Eve Journey", this is a summarized visit of our late lunch of Yong Tau Foo in Ampang New Village.

You may wonder, what's the fuss about this traditional Hakka dish until diners are willing to drive far and wide for THE experience here when they are able to sample it without the travel? It lies with the authentic flavor that most Malaysians believe co-exists with the village; if you've not tasted Yong Tau Foo until you've eaten it in New Village. The dish is supposedly to have originated here from way back when.

We even spotted Kedah-registered and Singapore-registered vehicles leaving the restaurant grounds after the travelers satiated their cravings.

I've had the opportunity to sample the one in my little district and compare the experience with the one garnered here. The former lacked the explosive flavors that the cuisine is known for; it tasted like it was not made-to-order and instead commercially produced in bulk, but enough of my ramblings.

Let's move on to the topic.Before I continue, I'll have to warn you, my readers, that the restaurant may not be impressive like the newer ones in the city with air-conditioners and television to entertain the bored diners. The owners would rather have their dishes known for its beauty and flavor than the place itself and judging from the immense crowd from our previous visits, the patrons don't seem to mind that it lacked decorations.

If you're uncomfortable with the heat and don't wish to be subjected to a long period of waiting (for seats and the food), I'd suggest to head to Foong Foong after the lunch hour crowds - at around 2pm. Don't forget to ask someone who's fluent in Mandarin or Cantonese to come along with you - to prevent any language barriers.

I'm sure most of you are aware that whenever I speak Mandarin, it has the Caucasian drawl to it. When Mama Carrie nudged me to place the order for the fried wanton, I eventually surrendered and spoke to the young chap in English (even though it's obvious he's more comfortable in the aforementioned languages). Unlike other restaurants where someone will hover to your table and receive your food and drink orders, Foong Foong works on a different method. The only person who will come to your table is to take your drinks - or in the odd moments, the guy selling lottery tickets (give it a go; who knows if you're lucky to strike something?) You'd have to place your order at the cashier with your table number and the desired portion instead. If you're unsure, feel free to ask the young chap manning the place for his recommendations and suggestions according to the number of diners.

If you hear the occasional conversations from the microphones in the background, fret not, for it is the shop's way of communicating the orders between the cashier and the kitchen. Mixed Yong Tau Foo - 15 pieces (RM 1 each) consists of stuffed bitter gourd, fish ball, soft tofu, fried tofu skin, stuffed ladies finger (or okra), stuffed chili, stuffed brinjal [Southeast Asian English, eggplant in American English and aubergine in British English]

The moment when the plate arrived at the table, I kept looking at it, especially the bitter gourd, instead of sharing the portion with Mama Carrie. I have no idea why, but I always found the bitter gourd overcooked and under-seasoned, almost knocking me off with the distinctive bitterness. The brinjal, however, was sitting comfortably at the other end of the spectrum. It was done to perfection and for someone who once hated this vegetable, the aromatic flavors convinced me to sample this vegetable cooked in other styles.

The fish balls were soft and chewy; it tasted fresh from the kitchen.Fried Wanton - 4 pieces (RM 1 each)

A mixture of pork and fish paste is stuffed into the wantons as the fillings before being dipped and fried in oil. You can hear the crunch as you sink your face into it, allowing the oil to seep into your pores. The paste does contain a piquancy that fortunately does not overwhelm the taste buds with the sodium chloride (if you're the regular foodie that Papa Carrie once was) or leave your tongue numb, but we found ourselves constantly reaching out to the hot glass of Chinese tea after every couple of bites to drench the thirst.

Hmmm, did someone slip in a tad bit more salt without the person's knowledge?

With that being said, there is no aftertaste of oil on the palate - unlike certain deep-fried dishes where you feel like you've ingested a gallon of oil.

We'll definitely return for a final round of Ampang Yong Tau Foo before my flight departure. I doubt I'll be able to find something as authentic as this over there or in my little district. If/when we do, you have my word that I'll pen a longer review of Foong Foong.Yes, I'm aware that my verbal directions may be much clearer than the drawn one. I was drawing the map off-memory as we almost lost our way there as well.

Brief instructions:

If you are coming from Jalan Ampang, keep driving straight all the way and up the flyover.
Ampang Point will be on your left as you continue on.
Keep straight and don't make any turns until you see the police quarters in the far distance.
The shortcut leading to Foong Foong is a sharp turn after the police quarters; keep an eye out for cars signaling their intentions to turn into a small alley - if you are lucky, you will see them.
Drive through that little alley and take the second left lane and immediately turn right. The restaurant will be on your left.

Or, you could easily ask any shop with Chinese employees for directions.

You can find available parking spots anywhere around the restaurant, but DO NOT PARK on Foong Foong grounds. The parking attendants will demand that you pay the stipulated parking fee, even though it is not required and the bays away from Foong Foong are free. Foong Foong Restaurant,

621A, Jalan Besar Ampang

Kampung Baru Ampang,

68000 Ampang, Kuala Lumpur

Phone: +6012 209 5529

Business Hours: Wednesday to Monday: 9pm to 4pm

Although I initially intended to utilize the Worthy Book voucher that has been in my possession for a couple of snacks in Mr. Siew Bao, Empire Gallery, it wasn't until Mama Carrie needed to settle the telecommunication matters with urgency that I decided to kill two birds with one stone. There is a wide variety of Chinese snacks being sold including egg tarts, the Teochew wedding biscuits, egg rolls, winter melon biscuits and more that I can't remember.

I'll have to admit that I was purchasing the items with a sense of apprehension; my previous experience with the siew bao wasn't too perfect and I really hoped that it'd not occur, but much of my dismay, it transpired again. Siew Bao

I'm sorry to say that Mama Carrie and I both felt like we were ingested pure, coarse salt. I understand that this is for preservation purposes as the spokesman did assure us way back when that no chemicals were added into the patisserie but it was in excess.

It didn't explode with the flavors of a freshly baked item either. It leaned towards staleness instead as if the paste had been prepared a day or two in advance, but it was still edible.

When I first tasted this dish during its days of infancy, it was heaven and contained less oil and sodium chloride but after such a long period of hiatus, the quality has dipped tremendously with the extra addition of oil and sodium chloride, which is such a pity as Mr. Siew Bao has a lengthy history behind the name.

I really hope that this is an isolated incident because it'll be such a waste to see my favorite brand losing specialty.Address: Mr. Siew Bao,

F1.K1, Sunway Pyramid

No. 3, Jalan PJS 11/15, Bandar Sunway,

46150 Petaling Jaya,

Selangor Darul Ehsan.

Landmark: It's a mere booth away from Maxis on the 1st floor of the new wing.

For more information on Worthy Book, you can peruse the following links... or even purchase a booklet for yourself to use?

W: www.worthybook.my

F: www.facebook.com/worthybook

I: www.instagram.com/worthybook

T: www.twitter.com/worthybook_my

B: www.worthybook.blogspot.com

Y: www.youtube.com/user/WorthyBook

FnB Edition is available at all major bookstores (MPH, Popular, Times, Borders, Kinokuniya) and selected myNEWS.com outlets in KL and Selangor.