XI'AN NOODLE SIFU AT SHANG PALACE

The city of Xi’an in the northwestern region of China isn’t famous only for its terracotta warriors. ‘La mian’ or hand-pulled noodles especially biang biang noodles tossed in chilli oil and a generous blend of chilli, Sichuan peppercorns, cumin and aromatic spices is also a major draw.

Broad, flat and slightly chewy, the Spicy Biang Biang Noodles (油泼面 RM38) by guest chef and noodle-making sifu Wang Quan from Shangri-La Hotel, Xi’an emerges as a crowd favourite during the La Mian promotion which ends 3 October. Texture-wise, the hand-pulled noodle ribbons reminded me of old-school mee hu'un kueh (hand-torn noodle dough pieces). Vivid salty-tangy nuances coupled with the slow-burning heat of the spicy condiments helped to leave an indelible impression.

Chef Wang Quan who started his career at Bell Tower Hotel Xi’an in 1989, is adept in Shaanxi local dishes as well as Cantonese and Sichuanese cuisine. Having worked his way up the kitchen ranks, Chef Wang was previously with Shangri-La Golden Flower Hotel, Xi’an until 2007. Currently, he is the Guest Service Leader at Yi Café Kitchen, Shangri-La Hotel, Xi’an.

 

For the Shang Palace showcase, the la mian sifu proffers eight speciality hand-pulled noodle dishes. Although most of the offerings tend to slant towards the hot and spicy spectrum, the Dry Noodles with Tomato and Eggs (RM38) proves to be an exception. In this instance, the smooth noodles in the eggy-rich, delicate sweet-savoury broth went down well as a nice counterpoint to more feisty hot versions like the Spicy Chicken Noodle Soup (RM38).

We were surprised by the unexpectedly burst of fiery-hotness from this deceptively plain soupy noodles which came topped with chunks of fried chicken, leafy greens and chives.

 

More robust flavours can be found in the Hand-Pulled Noodles with Braised Beef Soup (RM160). Fine dices of potato and carrot alongside cubes of braised beef lent appealing substance to the tantalisingly tangy broth. For this serving, the chef opted for noodle strands instead of flat ribbons.

Other choices include Sliced Noodles with Braised Lamb Gravy (RM160), Shaanxi Style Hand-made Noodles with Beef and Chili Oil (RM78), Lobster Sour Noodle Soup (RM 252) and Assorted Seafood Noodle Soup (RM68). The Xi'an La Mian promotion is available until 3 October 2018 at Shang Palace for lunch (12pm – 2.30pm) and dinner (6.30pm – 10.30pm).

For reservations and further information, call Shangri-La Kuala Lumpur, tel: 03-2074 3900, email restaurantreservations.slkl@shangri-la.com or visit www.shangri-la-specials.com.

 

5 GOOD REASONS TO #TRAVELWITHWIFI

As a freelance writer and blogger, I rarely leave home soil without staying incommunicado. After one and a half decades as a service provider, I cannot afford to disconnect from work hence having constant WiFi connectivity is an absolute necessity rather than a luxury.

That is when we discovered TravelRecommends’ TravelWifi router is a godsend for us. Before our recent and maiden visit to the USA, our past #travelwithwifi experiences left us with good, positive impressions during our work-play travels to Japan, Thailand and South Korea. 

Tokyo, Japan

Seoul, South Korea

Bangkok, Thailand

Bringing TravelRecommends’ TravelWifi along simply enable us to:

Mix Business with Pleasure

Most of our travels tend to combine work with pleasure. Although we strive to devote more time for R&R on each getaway, us entrepreneurial business owners can never remain unresponsive to clients or leave work unattended for long.

With TravelRecommends’ handy TravelWifi, it is so easy to mix business with pleasure as we can check emails or attend to work-related matters on-the-go without disrupting our personal itineraries and recreational pursuits. 

 

Our recent visit to the US of A was a prime #travelwithwifi example on how we stay connected using TravelRecommends’ TravelWifi as we jetted to Tokyo and Chicago before hitting the road for OshKosh, Winsconsin and the Twin Cities of Minneapolis-St.Paul, Minnesota and all the way back.

Stay Safe & Secure

We never take cyber safety and security lightly on our travels abroad. A safe and secure WiFi connection is invaluable and by using a dedicated TravelRecommends’ TravelWifi with its own user ID and password, we are assured whatever tasks we execute online is shielded from prying ‘eyes’. 

Online money transfers, bill payments, hotel and restaurant reservations, car rentals, train and flight ticket bookings…we managed to carry out so many key tasks with peace of mind during our travels thanks to the secured WiFi connection provided by TravelRecommends’ TravelWifi router. No need to worry about the risks of exposing crucial and confidential information to all and sundry when we log on using publicly accessible WiFi connections.

Enjoy Instant & Constant Connectivity

The one step ‘push button’ operation of TravelRecommends’ TravelWifi router makes it a boon for even the most tech ignorant users. Since 5 gadgets can be connected simultaneously to the TravelWifi, it is perfect for my family as our three smartphones and two laptops can log on to the Internet anytime.

We love how fast the router searches, authenticates and operates instantly in different cities; from Tokyo to Chicago and Minneapolis, the TravelWifi kicks into operation mode in less than five minutes! 

The signal strength is always strong and the broadband speed ample enough to cope with three adults’ constant social media uploads, downloads and even video calls. Another advantage is the TravelWifi battery lasts about 10-15 hours per day so the duration is enough to cover our day and sometimes night outings.

There were only 2 rare instances when WiFi connectivity was lost: (1) inside the thick iron walled confines of a U505 submarine in the basement level of the Chicago Science and Industry Museum and (2) on a short stretch of thickly wooded, red cedar-lined route during our drive back from OshKosh to Chicago. Otherwise, it was smooth sailing as far as our #travelwithwifi journey is concerned.

 

Create Precious Memories & Share Travel Experiences

Thanks to the seamless online connectivity accorded by TravelRecommends’ TravelWifi, my entire family had a great time sharing countless experiences as we ate, shopped and explored our way through Asakusa, Tokyo Tower and Tsukiji during our two stopovers in Tokyo, Japan.

Likewise, once we touched down in Chicago, all of us practically had family and friends back home ‘touring’ virtually with us on our daily sight-seeing and holiday itinerary. From the iconic Wrigley Field Stadium – home of the Chicago Cubs to the awe-inspiring Field Museum, the Windy City blew us away with its European architecture and fervour for the good life.

Heading to OshKosh, Wisconsin proved to be a real breeze as we drove with guided instructions and directions thanks to the uninterrupted online connectivity provided by TravelWifi. No words were adequate to describe how priceless it was for hubby to reconnect and reunite with old friends from his college days.

Our daily on-the-go connectivity accorded by TravelRecommends' TravelWifi also enabled us to share blow-by-blow accounts of our planned reunion at my cousin brother's home in Minnesota, and the activities we enjoyed in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Needless to say, the whole FB kampong in Malaysia and beyond had first-hand insights on what we got up to. Such poignant moments are priceless to us, especially for my 77-year old Mum whose maiden visit to the US notches up a significant milestone in her life.

 

Avoid Post-Travel Bill Shock

Being the budget-conscious travellers that we are, we did my homework to survey the different WiFi options available before our impending trip. Although our telcos offer competitive rates, we find TravelRecommends’ TravelWifi still comes up trumps as the router allows us to connect up to five gadgets in one go.

There’s no need to worry about exorbitant roaming charges, no foreign telco partnering connectivity issues and no need to hunt for and change SIM cards. With promotional rental rates offered by TravelRecommends going for as low as RM8/day, it is without a doubt which #travelwithwifi partner we should go with. As a repeat TravelRecommends customer, I have nothing but praises for all my experiences using the TravelWifi router on my travel sojourns. 

Thank you TravelRecommends for being such a supportive travel partner in the creation of so many precious memories for JOM MAKAN LIFE on our recent explorations to Tokyo, Chicago, OshKosh and Minneapolis. For more information on TravelRecommends' handy TravelWifi router, please visit TravelRecommends Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/travelrecommends/