FULL STEAM AHEAD AT XIN CUISINE

Steamboat is Malaysia's equivalent to hot pot and shabu shabu. My first encounter with this heartwarming speciality was outside Stadium Negara where diners sat under the stars on a grassy verge, tending patiently to their charcoal-fuelled steamboat pots. Today, the experience can be as basic or as classy as you desire. If you prefer to enjoy this perennial offering in air-conditioned comfort with top quality ingredients, Xin Cuisine is just the place to go.

A choice of chicken or herbal soup or interestingly, curry gravy is available as the base stock upon which your steamboat affair can be built on. Priced at RM50 nett per person (minimum two persons per table) and served on Mon-Fri, the variety and quality standards of choice ingredients used are uncompromisingly high.

 

Now, this is no empty boast as I can assure you each and every time has came under the strict purview of the hotel General Manager, Gary Lee whose discerning, finicky tastebud is the final determining yardstick.

Hence the extensive selection veers from choice cuts of chicken and fish, paper-thin slices of pork streaked with some fat, crunchy jellyfish, spongy fish maw, sliced top shell and cuttlefish, and decent sized tiger prawns.

Instead of commercial, mass produced fish balls, the Xin culinary team proffers bouncy fish balls flecked with seamoss and plump sui kow dumplings stuffed with minced pork and prawns.

Lending balance to the meaty fare are smooth soft beancurd along with deep-fried beancurd skin (foochuk), button mushroom and greens: young cabbage, spinach, Chinese cabbage, lettuce in addition to some egg noodles and eggs.

 

Plain chicken stock is best should you wish to appreciate the natural sweetness and taste of the various ingredients. For additional 'oompph', try ramping up the flavour quotient with the house Chinese herbal broth. Xin also offers three sauce concoctions to enliven the cooked morsels. It was fun to experiment and dip different ingredients into them, to decide which had more appeal. 

 

Special mention must be made of the curry gravy. Granted, it is a somewhat unusual choice since curry has such a rich and robustly strong profile but in this case, Xin managed to strike a delicious balance. We found the curry gravy so irresistible that our dining party had no qualms tossing most of the ingredients into it. The resultant taste was raveworthy enough to entice us into slurping up bowls of that broth.

For reservations, please call Xin Cuisine, tel: 03-2144 8750 or 2144 2200 x 2338. Address: Lobby Level, Concorde Hotel KL, 2 Jalan Sultan Ismail, 50250 Kuala Lumpur

JOURNEY TO GREAT VALUE BRITAIN...THE FINALE

The city of Bath made a literal splash with us as we arrived amidst a feather-light drizzle. It was difficult to see much in the dark but The Edgar Townhouse (64 Great Pulteney Street, Bath, Somerset BA2 4DN, tel: +44 (0)1225 420619) proved warm and cheerful once we entered the boutique hotel's warm, homely premise. Designated as a Grade I listed building and in a UNESCO World Heritage Site, The Edgar is located in Central Bath; close to all the major attractions, shops and restaurants.

After a speedy check-in process in the well-furnished and cosy lounge, we lugged our luggage up to our respective bedrooms. Mine was done up in less than fifty shades of grey, complete with a sleek white-tiled shower and wash room. Besides the comfy bed with a whimsical throw cushion, the linear, minimalist room included a writing table and heart-shaped mirror.

After a quick breather to refresh ourselves, we trudged out to grab a bite for dinner. Since it was rainy and chilly, going for Indian food seemed ideal. That was how we ended up at Rajpoot, a multiple award-winning Indian restaurant.

 

The flight of steps taking us down into the resto barely prepared us for the intricate warren of private dining rooms and alcoves within. It was akin to being transported straight to Incredible India thanks to the profusion of ornate lantern lights, Indian motifs and wall murals, artworks and collectibles.

 

Redolent with exotic and fragrant spices, our selection of chicken tandoori, several different curries, king prawn biriyani and Indian roti were out of this world. Some of the specialities packed enough hotness to warm our hearts and stomachs.

Needless to say, we slept like logs that night...well, at least I did. A cheery blue sky with wisps of white clouds greeted me when I looked out of my room window the next morning. After packing quickly, I made my way downstairs for breakfast in the light-filled dining room.

Besides cereals, bread and fruits, the affable team on duty served cooked breakfast upon request. I opted for smoked salmon with scrambled egg and fried mushroom which as expected turned out delicious. It was with much reluctance, we had to depart from this serene and tasteful haven for we had to visit some of Bath's famous attractions.

View of the weirs in the city centre of Bath

 

It was a lovely day as we strolled briskly towards the city centre. There were so many breath-taking, picturesque vistas Jennifer and myself dawdled ever so often to take quick snapshots of them. We couldn't help it as we wanted to remember as much as possible from this sojourn.

One of the key highlights which gave Bath its name is the Roman Bath which was founded upon natural hot springs with the steaming water playing a key role throughout its history. Lying in the heart of the city, The Roman Baths were constructed around 70 AD as a grand bathing and socialising complex; one of the best preserved Roman remains in the world.

 

The domed building where the ticketing and reception areas are sited alone is fantastical and awe-inspiring. Loads of visitors trudge through the Roman Baths daily but the sprawling attraction is so huge, you'd hardly notice the crush of people constantly streaming in and out.

The ancient ruins depict Bath’s spa culture 2,000 years ago when the Romans once bathed in the natural thermal spa water. Despite signs posted reminding visitors not to dip into the water, many sneakily broke the rule just to feel its warmth. If you observe closely, the rising steam is evident from the pool surface.

After the whirlwind tour, it was time to head over to Royal Hotel (Manvers St, Bath BA1 1JP, tel: +44 1225463134) for lunch. The city is immensely walkable but Jennifer and myself had to depart for Heathrow Airport to catch our flight home so we had no choice but to make haste.

 

First opened in 1846, the classic hotel has a French-style brasserie known as Brasserie Brunel (named in tribute to architect Isambard Kingdom Brunel) where we had our farewell lunch.

Since it was Easter Sunday, the menu featured 'back to basic' fare: roast chicken and fish & chips. Maybe we felt too down in the dumps to really appreciate the lunch. Sigh.

 

The hotel is strategically located across from the Bath Spa train station (pix below). We were to catch the train heading to London Paddington Station so we made good time before settling down for that 90-minute journey back to London. 

Once we reached Paddington Station, we simply kept our eyes peeled for directional signs indicating where to board the Heathrow Express. Everything was seamless and hassle-free - a relief for us travellers who had heavy luggage in tow.

All in all, it was an exhilarating experience having the fortuitous chance to discover and enjoy Great Value Britain. From the time we landed up at Heathrow to the time we depart, we have had countless #OMGB moments to cherish. I'd like to express my heartfelt appreciation to Visit Britain for the unforgettable travel experiences!

Travelling from Malaysia to the UK on a budget? Discover Great Value Britain with some great tips from http://www.visitbritain.com/malaysia or visit CIT Malaysia http://cit.travel/europe/united-kingdom to plan your VisitBritain itinerary.