As much as I stuffed myself with all sorts of food (and some days junk food), I try to keep a balance with healthy food. Healthy food that doesn't mean plain old fruits and vegetables. Organic food is a regular feature in my meals especially breakfast and snacks. And of course when we dine out and wanna be consciously healthy. Contrary to the general perception that organic is vegetarian, these days organic has amazing offerings just as interesting as any other makan place. Over the weekend it was brunch at Opika the latest organic restaurant to hit town in One Utama ex old wing which has undergone a brilliant transformation.

The soups arrive first. Brilliant idea as I love something warm in my stomach on rainy days. Both the Pumpkin Soup and Mushroom Soup actually taste better than they look. Both are cream free except for garnishing purposes.

The pumpkin soup is hearty and sweet. Opika uses only the pumpkins which are in season and this time of the year its Japanese pumpkins Kabocha which are naturally sweet and even sweeter than butternut squash. Its cream free except for the garnish part and this soup is simply satisfying and hearty. There are some bites of roasted capsicum giving this soup an additional bite and flavour.If you love earthy Mushroom Soups, then Opika's version will be your fave haunting spot. The mixed mushrooms are blended together. Not too smooth so you can still get little bits of mushroom and of course some sliced mushrooms as well.I love quinoa. On its own, quinoa is an adorable fluffy seed with a slight nutty flavour to it and is very rich in protein. Opika's Quinoa Salad. Its refreshingly tangy and sweetened with Nipah syrup (similar to maple syrup). In the middle of this delightful bed of quinoa is some lovely sweet mangoes and creamy avocado. The prawns have a good bite and complements this salad well. I must add that the cherry tomatoes is something new to me. Sweet and fragrant as it is infused with vanilla. Opika goes back to basics and uses vanilla pods.Another ingredient that I love most is scallops. Nothing beats a juicy and tender scallop. The Scallops with Mango Wasabi Sauce is absolutely seductive. Coated with a blend of sesame seeds, house spices bread crumbs and I believe some secret concoction. Check it out and let me know if you can figure out what it isThe Linguine with Pinenut Pesto and House Spiced Pan Seared Salmon has the same coating as the Scallop with Mango Wasabi. Pesto lovers will relish this dish which has such a generous serving of pesto. Do remember to inform your waitress if you prefer you pasta al dente. Craving meatballs? Then the Swedish Style Meatball with Mash Potato is the solution. Each meatball is packed with flavours. Made with lamb, chicken and beef, this Swedish meatball served with some lingonberry is about the best I have had for quite some time. Mashed potatoes are yummy and if you realise its green, that's simply because its a magic mix of mashed potato and green peas. Amazing idea that will have kids and picky eaters eat their peas. Brilliant idea!Carbonara Fettucine with Grilled Fungi and Grilled Chicken is one creamy pasta. Comforting pasta in a creamy base. My fave part of this dish is the grilled chicken that has been marinated in Opika's blend of herbs.I am not much of a rice eater but I have a weak spot for nasi ulam. The Nasi Ulam with Percik Chicken is recommended. Lots of yummy ulam with a very flavourful chicken percik. And best of all...free range salted egg! The food here is not fried and is cooked using healthy red palm oil (which I also use at home ~ and if you like it, the oil is available in Opika). So you can happily eat yummy food that is seriously healthy.

Stay tuned as I check out the desserts and juices soon...

This marks the beginning of my Intermark food crawl. Kicking of with a rather interesting fusion of cusine with Albanian, Italian and Mediteranean influences.

We settled down and was prepared to start with a cold beer to cool down. Eddie suggested that I start with wine. Awesome as I wasn't really in the mood for bubbles. House wines are Canepa's Classico range. Red or white I had bothI have a weak spot for grilled vegetables. Verdure alla Griglia ~ Grilled Vegetables is a beautiful appetizer of very colourful platter of tomatoes, aubergines, capsicums and zucchini. Light with a refreshing taste of balsamic vinegar with the some pungent chopped garlic. This is such a must order for my next visit!Zuppa ala Porto Romano ~ Porto Romano Seafood Soup is beautifully satisfying. Fresh seafood in a tomato base and herbs, I was happily slurping this soup. Every bite of seafood made this my favourite soup for the night.I am not much of a rice eater. But when it comes to risottos, I am quite amazed by my ability to eat rice. Here at Porto Romano, the Risotto Fruitti di Mare ~ Seafood Risotto was worth the wait (allow 20-30 minutes wait time if you order this). Every bit of the Italian Arborio rice was coated with the rich and creamy white wine sauce while the seafood was cooked just right.A little salty but nevertheless yummy would be the Spaghetti alla Puttanesca. A beautiful and el dente pasta flavoured with savoury Meditteranean anchovies, fillets, capiers and olives. Tender pieces of aubergine added colour to this very vibrant tomato based pasta.Stinco d'Agnello ~ Braised Lamb Shank is braised in oven fire slowly till its tender. This rich piece of tender meat is coated in a tasty tomato base that bears the juicy flavours of the lamb. Quite a generous size, I would advise to order this for sharingDessert! The Torta di Mele ~ Apple Pie arrives in a petite parcel and a dollop of delightful vanilla ice cream. Rich in cinnamon with lightly tangy apples and sweet raisins, this was my to die for dessert.Not much room left in our stomachs...the story continues soon at Porto Romano. Stay tuned for the next episode!

The dinner at Paradise Inn at Sunway Pyramid came timely as I knew I would be deprived of good Chinese food during my Bali getaway. Interestingly, Paradise Inn isn't just another Chinese restaurant in town. Its a restaurant, a tea house and a dessert house under one roof. And i just have to add...finally Paradise Inn in in Malaysia.

I arrived 20 minutes earlier and spent some time absorbing the elegant decors of Paradise Inn while enjoying my pot of tea. Hubster dined here last December and has been telling me about the wonderful tea offerings on the menu. It was a good selection of teas. I have to admit that I was a wee lost as to what to choose. I wanted to try something hot and because it was a warm day, I wanted something cold too.As usual I resorted to one f my fave childhood ryhmes "Inky pinky ponky, father bought a donkey. Donkey died. Father cried. Inky pinky ponky" My choice was jasmine, Osmanthus, Dried Longan and Chrysanthemum. Apparently this tea nourishes the heart and spleen, improves eyesight and immune system. It was a soothing drink to sip before dinner. It was equally soothing and enjoyable when I stayed back to chat with some of the girlfriends whom I have not seen for a few weeks.And since I wanted something cold, I took some of Andrew's Very Berries Iced Tea. Tangy and refreshing, its a good drink to wake one up and to work out an appetite.The dishes at Paradise Inn weren't overly salty. Thus there wasn't a need for white rice if not for the gorgeous gravy accompanying some of the dishes.

Crisp-Fried Shrimp Paste Chicken is also another children friendly (and I reckon adults too) dish that should be ordered while we decide what dishes to order from the menu. The fried chicken is marinated with a special prawn paste imported from Hong Kong rather than the local prawn paste or belacan that many places use. I've always loved ducks. Paradise Inn's Sliced Tea Smoked Duck was absolutely brilliant. Rather addictive to be eaten non its own or with a mouthful of rice. Every bite was an alluring mix of tender meat with flavourful fats. Poached Chinese Spinach with Egg Trio and Minced Pork in Superior Broth was certainly one of my fave dishes for the night. It wasn't because spinach is one of my fave vegetables. Every mouthful was soft spinach with a generous accompaniment of salted egg and century eggIf you hate eggplants, then the Stewed Eggplant with Minced Pork and Salted Fish in Claypot will probably change your mind about eggplants. The eggplant is soft and absolutely flavourful with the aromatic salted fish and little bites of minced porkTofu is one of my fave comfort and health food. However this is only of the tofu is rich and beany. The Braised Tofu with Crystal Prawns is made in house. Each piece of tofu is eggy smooth and silky with a rich soya bean taste.

I am a Cantonese girl and soups are a must. I was delighted to see the double boiled soups piping hot and aromatic. There were 2 soups for dinner - Double-Boiled Water Goby with Spare Ribs and Fresh Apple and the Double-Boiled Sea Whelk with Spare Ribs and Chinese Yam (RM39.90). Each soup was absolutely flavourful and was just as good as how granny makes them. Such happy nostalgic feelings...I will return for the soups to nourish my body and my soul.

Covered yet one can smell the beautiful aromas. Each pot serves 2 to 4 persons.Definitely piping hot.Double-Boiled Water Goby with Spare Ribs and Fresh Apple is nourishingDouble-Boiled Sea Whelk with Spare Ribs and Chinese Yam So if you don't have the time to make your own soupy goodness, hop by to:
Paradise Inn (Blue Zone near Starbucks)
OB3, Lower Ground Sunway Pyramid
T: +603-5637 8822
Opening Hours: Mon – Sun (10:00 am – 10:00 pm)
www.paradisefnb.com.my
www.facebook.com/pages/Paradise-Inn

I love beer. I love pork ribs. I love furkids. I love my car pals. OK its not necessarily in that order but I am writing with a very hungry stomach and crazy thirst in my mouth.

Hubby and I arrived early. We walked our diva Shalom (yes thisplaceis furkid friendly -but you have to sit outdoors) first before we settled comfortable and started off with our beer while waiting for the rest to arrive. Yummy cold beer. We started with the Red Dot for Dennis while I opted for the English Ale. The diva wasn't left out. She had her iced water and lots of treats that I had baked that Sunday morning. As the rest took turns to arrive, we started with one of the best fried calamari in town. Not chewy like eating your pencil eraser, it was tender and flavourful. Was tempted to order a second serving just for myself.Being quite hungry and not being able to resist pasta and bacon, we ordered the Craft Brews Pasta. Yummy creamy sauce with a bell peppers and shitake mushrooms. Oh! A generous portion of crispy bacon. The only complain would be I prefer my pasta to be al dente. That aside, the pasta was perfect.Yes this bunch of makan, car & furkids kakis opted for 2 servings of the BBQ Meat Platter. I love the soup (minestrone) in little cups. Cute! Most importantly it was a comforting start to the main meal.The salads are really generous. After all the meat that we're going to eat, vegies are a definite must.The meat platters arrive. Corn looked beautiful and is still nice and juicy. The wedges here are creamy on the inside and crispy outside. Perfect for the beers to come. But a word of caution. Don't be too trigger happy in munching the wedges first. Otherwise you'll be too filled to eat the meat especially the yummy ribs!We ordered all 3 flavours of the ribs and my personal favourite is honey mustard. The ribs were juicy, tender and absolutely flavourful. Use your hands and lick the ribs clean The chicken is also equally good.So if you have any carnivorous appetite, this is one good place. Bring your furkids (call to reserve your table) and have a good time of ribs, beer and fun with your furkids and makan company like I did.