3 TIPS ON PLANNING YOUR HOLIDAY

“Travelling allows you to become so many different versions of yourself” 

– Anonymous

Perhaps that’s the reason why we love to travel. Our wanderlust is hard to tamp down and having our freedom restricted is possibly one of the greatest challenges we have to endure during the prolonged MCO period.

Now that Federal Territory and Selangor have transitioned into National Recovery (NRP) Phase 4, most of us are grateful we can once again travel domestically without restraint while practising the new normal SOPs stipulated.

In this aspect, we Malaysians are truly fortunate as we’re spoiled for choice when it comes to choosing the type of holidays we prefer. Whether we plan to head for the beach or up to the hills, opt for a city staycation or escape to the bucolic countryside, the length and breadth of Peninsular Malaysia alone offers limitless possibilities. We have not even touched on the myriad wonders that beckon from East Malaysia.

No savvy traveller these days can afford to leave home without doing some homework aka research. The secret to a great holiday is to plan ahead. Start with these 3 tips in mind:

·       Your Budget

While everyone would love to holiday in the lap of luxury, let’s get real. It’s best to be realistic and set a budget for your holiday. Take into account how much you plan to spend on accommodation, transportation (flights, car rental, train tickets, etc), food & drinks, sightseeing and recreational activities, and personal spending money (gifts and souvenirs). Remember to set aside a small emergency fund.

·       Your Needs

     The needs of a solo traveller differ great greatly from those of a couple, a group of singletons, and those of a family with small children. If you are the holiday planner, then a reliable online portal such as Hotel in Kuala Lumpur is a boon in determining your holiday needs i.e. What kind of accommodation do you need? Would child-friendly accommodation or hotels with a swimming pool be a priority? Traveloka has plenty of useful tips and resources to help make your holiday planning a breeze.

·       Your Itinerary

Plan ahead and determine the type of holiday you want. Would it be a laidback, laze by the pool kind of vacay or would it be an activity-filled one with lots of sightseeing and shopping thrown in?

A holiday is also a chance to pursue your leisure interests or do something different from your daily life. Is it time for you to unleash the spirit of discovery and learn more about mother nature through hiking and nature walks? Perhaps you yearn to fly high and conquer the sky through paragliding or swim with the fishes by learning to snorkel or scuba-dive?

It goes without saying planning for a solo traveller is easier than planning a holiday for a group of friends with different interests or a family with small children or teenagers. 

In such instances, you may want to rely on a fun getaway with a flexible itinerary at a family-friendly resort such as Grand Lexis Port Dickson where the young and old can enjoy the best of both worlds. The whole family can expect a splashing time in the private pool within the privacy of their own suite, or proceed to engage in the myriad outdoor activities offered by the resort.

More adventurous souls may prefer an adrenalin-fuelled itinerary with hiking, paragliding, kayaking, or river-rafting as the highlight. Bear in mind though some of your intended holiday activities may have a set limit on the number of participants and advance booking required so it pays to plan ahead.

Whatever type of you have in mind, just remember online resources abound at your fingertips. Traveloka has plenty to offer: useful tips on travel planning, price comparisons on accommodation, things to do, etc. After all, the journey of your holiday planning begins with a single step. Do it now!

PIG OUT AT SNOUT

Snout is proudly proclaimed as the Home of the Signature T-bone Pork Chop and no visit to the restaurant is complete if you don’t sample the juicy and tender T-bone Pork Chop (RM33). Heaped atop the grilled pork chop is delicious al dente classic egg carbonara. 

Studded with bacon bits and Parmesan cheese, the whole serving is a sight to behold – and once you sample the scrumptious the pork chop, you’d be besotted enough to plan a follow-up visit to Snout just for it.

Sourced from locally bred pigs, the pork chop’s inherent sweet meatiness makes it a memorable palate-pleaser. For an additional RM5, a single serving of refreshing Orange Salad (orange segments with fresh greens and onion tossed in Snout's sweet-sour dressing) or Japanese Potato Salad (mashed potato with strips of Aussie carrot, Japanese cucumber, onion and egg in creamy Kewpie mayo) complements it. Together with the pasta, it’s an on-point hearty, soul-satisfying meal.

Snout is run by Doris Ch’ng and Rosalia Chua, a passionate food-loving duo who used to be colleagues at Nestle. Opened in August 2018, the pork-centric restaurant has a nice cheery and sassy ‘feel’ about it.

Brightly painted canvases of frolicking pigs adorn baby blue walls, potted plants displayed on stools and atop tables bestow a sense of serenity, whilst stacks of books, as well as little plushies, lend homey touches to the interior.

 

Fried Prawn Rolls (RM15) and Scotch egg-style Fried Quail Eggs (RM9) are two great conversation starters to get your meal rolling at Snout. The former is Snout’s yummy take on lor bak – beancurd skin rolls stuffed with minced prawn, pork, and vegetables deep-fried until crispy, then cut into coin-size discs.

Slightly smaller than a tennis ball, the Scotch quail eggs will turn your dining party into a ball. Coated in crispy panko, and encased within tasty minced pork, marinated chives, cabbage, spring onion, and garlic, the crowd-pleasing appetiser hit the spot for us.

 

My favourite dish of the day is Grilled Marbled Iberico Pork Collar (RM442, 1300gm). This notable show-stopper has to be pre-ordered ahead of time and is suitable for dining parties of 3-4 persons according to Doris.

Served with a side dish of Japanese Potato Salad, this juicy, tender, and delicious slab of pork is best savoured on its own. Like any good prime steak, it can hold its own without the need for sauces or toppings.

To sustain the restaurant during the prolonged lockdown period, Snout created a Limited Travel Menu Series, highlighting familiar comfort food from different cities as the restaurant’s way of taking their customers on a food tour.

Kolo Mee (RM13), a popular noodle dish with house-made 'char siew' (minus the red colouring), fish balls and minced pork is chosen to represent Kuching in the menu. According to Doris, this is one of their sought-after, freezer-friendly offerings. “It’s popular among our customers who have it delivered to them. Many store the dish for consumption later. They just reheat by steaming or microwaving it.”

Indeed, the noodles are deliciously flavourful thanks to the assemblage of minced pork, ‘char siew’, and crispy pork lard dices. A pair of QQ fish balls lends some springy toothsome contrast to the overall meaty and soft noodle textures.

Singletons and youngsters hankering for homely fare may find ample succour in the comforting dish of Braised Pork Belly (RM18). Served with steamed rice, the tender chunks of pork belly braised in soya sauce and spices come with a braised egg, peanuts and vegetable of the day.

Bacon Popcorn Balls (RM8 – 3 balls) is the partners’ attempt to bring customers further afield via their Limited Travel Menu Series. Rosalia said “It’s our tribute to the American movie culture; drenching buttery popcorn with caramel then lacing it with bacon bits to create a fun treat. The oversized popcorn balls were meant to ease the boredom of being stuck at home during the lockdown.”     

The popcorn balls were rather fun albeit messy to eat. My only wish is for more bacon bits to temper the caramel sweetness.

One unexpected dessert find is Ornee (RM18) – the traditional Teochew treat is such a rarity but if you’re partial to yam this should go down exceptionally well. Snout’s silky-smooth version comprises rich yam paste, layered in fragrant lard and shallot oil. We ate it warm during our lunch but I love it chilled - it's sublime!

Finish with a flourish by savouring a slice of Snout’s Traditional French Orange Cake (RM8 per slice, RM65 per 900g loaf). Crowned with candied orange slices, the buttery orange cake is like a burst of sunshine: brimming with big, bright orange flavour and zesty sweetness on the palate.

For reservations and more information, call SNOUT, tel: 03 - 7732 8871. Address: 22A-1, Jalan PJU 8/5E, Bandar Damansara Perdana, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Business hours: Tue – Sun 1130 am - 3 pm, 530 pm - 9 pm. Closed on Mon but open on request for families with special kids, click https://wa.me/c/601111613881