Nisa & me, before the seventh drink.
Friday, March 27th. Looks like it could be rain. I pick Nisa up in a lovely black dress (her, not me) and ferry her off to Sandias, a Mexican restaurant set to be the epicentre of foodbloggers galore tonight. Except we get well and utterly lost. But. Since I drive like a madman anyway, we get out of being lost real fast and turn up on time.
Nisa’s convinced she’s overdressed and hits me. I tell her she’s not, but if she is, it’s always better to overdressed than underdressed. (I’m sure I heard this piece of advice from someone reputable, almost.) And I tell her to stop hitting me.
Martell girls welcome us at the door, all tight red sweetness promising one hell of a night, and O are those Polaroid cameras you are wielding, ladies? How ever so kinky…
Cocktails galore — and are those Martell condoms?
Here’s the thing, The Thing about most foodbloggers. They are a shy species, driven almost to extinction by the publicity-hungry likes of my favourite culinary mediawhores Jamie Oliver, Nigella Lawson and Anthony Bourdain. (There’s also that bloke by the name of Wan, but I know people who know people who knows him, so only nice things said, Kenny. Which means I say ______.)
So most foodbloggers shy away from the camera. From having their soul captured and held in a blogular purgatory for prosperity. They enjoy a sense of, uhm, mystery. And I respect that. (Actually, they handcuffed me and only let me go after I promised never to post any pics of them here. Again, kinky.)
This goes a long way to explaining the absence of full-frontal shots today. No ass shots either, damnit.
A heavenly blogger does his thing…
Such wonderful, gregarious, bubbly people they are though! I find myself falling in love with this tight-knit community, and despite her initial reservations (“Who am I gonna talk to? I don’t blog! I don’t even leave comments! Arghhh!”), even Nisa melted under their velvety chocolatey gaze.
First up at the door was the suave and gentlemanly Nigel of Just Heavenly (them cakes of his looks exactly that, gotta get myself a taste of that but soon) who welcomed us with a flourish. The lady of the evening, wmw was all decked out in fiery chili padi red — the two of us came as her guests so we spent most of the night avoiding her so we could get up to no good without her noticing. 
This FoodBloggers gathering (in conjunction with RSVP by KLue) was organised by the Queen of Makan, Boolicious — and I was delighted to have finally met her regal self. Cutest couple ever for my money was KampungBoyCityGal, plus they were from the same university as me, so you know they are gold. Flutter/shutterbugs Timothy, Jackson and Riz flitted and floated here and there taking photos, but then again, so was everyone.
(I can only imagine the shock of the restaurateurs when they saw everyone drawing out their cameras when the food was served: “O no, they are all bloody food reviewers! We’re doomed, doomed, I tell ya!”)
Kenny the Liquor Pimp, plus one luscious lady
Once we settled down at our table, Nisa and I had the pleasure of dining with the radiant and gentle sc of Food4Thot and her hot single friend (Nisa’s words, not mine), Mei Yen and her sweetie Bob (who proposed by pulling a “hide behind the bushes then jump out and shout will you marry me?” — you know, one of those), and lovely, luscious Lyrical Lemongrass with whom I flirted with all night, quite ignoring Nisa and her hitting me (the woman never stops with the abuse, I tell ya).
I was the designated Liquor Pimp, so it came in handy that I made like best pals with the two bartenders and kept my table in a good way with fruity cocktails spiked with extra Martell. I suspect the Martell Girls would have given me dirty looks, but then again, I was doing their work for them, which freed them up to saucy banter with other inebriated male foodbloggers.
The jokes were filthy and unprintable. Meaning, I couldn’t remember them after the 8th or 9th drink. Eh.
Nisa, ever the Groupie of Writers, catches one.
Towards the end of the evening, there was even a book-signing session by Adly of FriedChilies.com — the kind sir gave us all free copies of their FoodGuide. I can see more food crawls in the near future… Alas, all good things must come to an end, and I left with Nisa, quite disappointed that I couldn’t join the rest at The Attic later, but then I did have a Breakfast Club to host and a reading to attend to the next day, so.
Waitaminute, you ask, what about the food? Right. All I can say was that after dropping Nisa off, I went and got myself a burger daging special at my regular stall in SS2 and I was most satisfied. How’s that for a food review, sorta? 
The Verdict?
For actual reviews of the food @ Sandias and more funfare, please visit these most excellent foodbloggers, or “floggers”, which just sounds so — together with me now, boys and girls — kinky:
- Babe in the City
- Eat First Think Later
- Good Food. Good Life
- Ipoh Mali Talak Sombong
- Just Heavenly
- KampungboyCitygal
- KL People KL Food
- Living in Food Heaven
- Lots of Cravings
- Lyrical Lemongrass
- Precious Pea
- You Get What You Give… Sometimes
(with more to come as they get posted!)
63 Comments
What a great pleasure to meet the famous Kenny Mah! Too bad u didnt join us for 2nd party and indulge in Nigel’s cake!
So, that’s some of the dirty low down stuff happening in that corner,eh! LOL! Glad you and Nisa enjoyed yourselves….
wow Kenny, since when you’re a food blogger? hahaha… so you’re a blogger of all genre eh?
oh… nigel was there. i wonder if allan was there too.
Jackson,
Yalor, missed all the fun and alcohol and Nigel’s cake! I saw pix and I’m drooling… Nevermind, will go buy some at his bakery next time I’m in the neighbourhood.
Now just waiting for your S’pore makan post… *tummy growls*
wmw,
Yalah, takut you forbid/ban/censor, so we go do it quietly, undercover, hahahaha…
Was rather tired the whole week though, so didn’t manage to socialise as much as I would have wanted to. So many foodbloggers I didn’t get to meet in person still. That’s why got next round, right?
Zewt,
Nolar, not foodblogger yet, just a guest. I’m a blogger without boundaries, so anything goes, I guess. These lot were so much fun though, I really want to join in and start me some foodblogging too!
Nigel was there but not Allan; he was a little under the weather, so that’s yet another blogger I haven’t met yet. The list grows ever the longer…
Well, you certainly have the verbal aptitude to make a sack of potatoes feel like a basket of lovely, luscious lilies.
Lyrical Lemongrass,
So says the lyrical lady who just used the phrase “verbal aptitude”?
Dinner was super-fun last night, dear — and the kopi/Neslo ais after even more so. Gotta do it sometime soon, ya. You still owe me the story behind “The Build Up” — I’m never one to forget, heh heh.
Aww, you and Nisa look so cute!
Wish I was there…oh man!!!!!
The next time I go back to malaysia you have to plan a blogger meeting just for me!!
will ya? Im serious
Msiagirl,
Shush, you’ll give the girl a big head, you will. Hahaha…
sulee,
Well, if you give me enough notice, I’m sure we can arrange something for the Honourable Horat, Minister of Expired Milk Products from the Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan…
Yeah, let’s go on a food crawl…we can just eat it and talk poetically about it later. While the floggers…(they do know it’s a leather implement, don’t they?
can actually do the beautiful photography. Give you two weeks notice…better book my airasia ticket now!!!
just wait until you join me and lyrical lemongrass for an omakase at iketeru.
ahahaha!! the cleavage..kesian the someone..head kena cropped off..nice meeting u n niza..she’s like laughing the whole night..glad that a non blogger fits into the floggers..
Kenny,
You made a mistake on the links at the very end of your post. KL people KL food = xiu long bao.
Wah, I should join in the fun next time.
WOW… Nisa is just gorgeous! Definitely a hot chick!
Seems fun! Ppl wud throw weird glances at u if u take food pics elsewhere alone, esp those who dont know the existence of blogs, or more precise, food blogs. But when it’s done in gangs, it’s another story, but i’m sure it’s a wonderful tale! A gr8 nite it seems…
Wah Kenny, I’m very envious, all the lovely food and delicious company surely!
my face is not there i m afraid..hahaha..go over to jackson blog..i m advertised all over..count me in if we r ever meeting horat ok? hahaha
Msiagirl,
Yes, a food crawl when you come down to Malaysia is a MUST! I have a couple of old friends flying in from Europe for their honeymoon, and I need to plan four days of food crawl for them too.
The floggers (I bet they know it’s a piece of pseudo-religio-S&M paraphernalia, those kinky kids) will do more than just take pictures — I’m counting on them to make all sorts of recommendations for places to go, which restaurants to avoid, that kinda thing.
(Uhm, if food bloggers = floggers, are lit bloggers = loggers? How environmentally unsound! Then again, I guess we do consume loads of trees to make our beloved books…)
Henry,
An omakase at Iketeru? That’s a promise, sir, and dontchaforgetit!
Citygal,
Forced to chop heads off lah, otherwise can’t keep up the anonymity of the floggers. I have a lovely one of you and Kampungboy, plus Nisa and I, but there’s one anonymous flogger in the middle so…
Maybe I should just paste a Big Smiley Face on her like you did, hahaha…
Kok,
Oops, that’s right! Thanks, corrected it now. And yalar, next time you must join… When’s your next trip back from Perth? You must make a stopover here, man.
kyh,
Hohoho, do I detect some animal interest here? Such base instincts Little Miss Nisa invokes in bloggers, haha.
But yes, I’m very shy lah to take photos of food in restaurants alone, but that night, it was like a photographer convention or something. I can imagine the owners freaking out, seeing so many flashes go off. If the reviews were good, that’s one thing, but…
Tunku,
You’re coming over to promote “44 Cemetery Road”, right? We must do makan session together then. No need to envy-envy. Join in, and just eat it!
lotsofcravings,
No face? Well, wait till the next time. I’ll hunt you down and snap away… you might end up in the Anonymous Flogger Protection Program… and get sent to the Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan for rehabilitation, hahaha…
Bah humbug!
awww gawddd… u r the first person who claimed food bloggers are kinky!!! LOL and i did managed to intro myself to u and yr beautiful companion. just that now you won’t be able to remember how i looked like, well unless jackson have mailed out the photos
Lyrical Lemongrass,
I hear humbugs are especially tender and moist this time of year, not at all dry and gristly. Shall we try some one day?
Babe in the City - KL,
First person? I’m sure someone else has already beat me to the punch; after all, the term “foodporn” must have come from somewhere, ya?
I’m sorry if I didn’t remember you but there were so many Hi-Bye’s. Once Jackson sends them photos out, it’d be easy to put faces to names. Or I could just be more attentive the next round, haha. Thanks for dropping by, dear!
MMmhmmm,
Thats a Nice photo of you …
Oh yes it is …
Kenny, dunno about humbugs, but I shall personally hunt down the best bugs in my garden, coat them with curry powder, wasabe and a dash of soy sauce, and personally feed you with them. Nice, tender and moist…just the way you like ‘em.
Kenny,
I don’t know when’s my next trip back from Perth leh. Probably at the end of this year or maybe early next year. Not confirm yet due to the plan I have in mind now.
By the way, I won’t be able to stop at KL. Cause I’m taking Brunei Airlines which is so much cheaper compare to MAS. haha! But I’ll find a time to go to KL. Tell you what, the last time I stepped my feet in KL was 12 years back? Can you imagine? haha!
Hiya Kenny, it was such a pleasure meeting you that night and the day after LOL.
Hope to see you and Nisa again in the next gathering
kenny, was a pleasure meeting you and nisa on friday.. you guys are a funny and bubbly lot :). but me being gentle? wah, again, this is a first! i’m more of a tomboy than gentle! guess i was just shy that nite..hehe..sorry i missed your reading, am sure it was great.. i was on my way to PG then…we’ll meet again in the future, i’m sure, maybe for another food crawl? ;p
Nice meeting you Kenny and hope to meet up again soon, over food of course.
Oh no! Even a non-flogger had posted stuff abt the gathering. Though more of d floggers than d food. Haha. I’m really way way behind. *lobster red face - ashamed look*
Hi Kman!
*hugs* Hehhehe, soooo, you met Wan Adly, Master of the FriedChillies! Food Crawl’s not complete without his posse! Did you meet Wai Meng?
Do join their Food Crawler’s Yahoo Group… Loads of Jalan2 cari Makans
kenny, got a small request here.. can u send me the photos you took of nisa & me, and SF & you to my email? (unless u have deleted it). thanks loads! *muaks*
G,
Uhm, thanks?
Lyrical Lemongrass,
Curry powder and wasabi? O you bring out the spicy-micy-hotsy-totsy in me…
Kok,
Make sure you do! Not so much for KL but for all the fun bloggers here! Food crawl, food crawl!
Jason,
Yeah, if we are lucky, the next time you meet me, it’d be minus Nisa. Hahahaha…. (I’m so mean.) Can’t wait to hit Ipoh with the floggers to kacau you lah…
sc,
Shy? Maybe. I guess Nisa and I are a handful; we’d put the noisiest of elephants to shame with our permanently high volume — no control knob lah!
P.S. I tried replying to your email but bounced back; mailbux full maybe? Let me know when it’s okay and I’ll resend.
Precious Pea,
Over food can. But also want to have a gander at your two cute doggies lah… Everyone’s talking about them!
Tummythoz,
No rush, no rush. Sometimes I blog about an event almost a month later! The thing is we get it done eventually, right? See you round!
Ellyne,
*hugs back* Not sure if I did meet Wai Meng, so many floggers that night, I lost count of names and faces! And you seem to know everyone in Klang Valley, you social butterfly you…
Duuuuude … this is Tim. I finally visited your site. You know, I’ve not actually sat down to write since that day @ Sandiaz hence I did not really intend to write about that. Anyway, here I am again … babblering about my food stuffs. But it’s good to meet you and Nisha. You guys rock ! Err .. not actually la .. but rather .. you guys are cool… Cheers man !
=P Just for that, I fwd-ed Adly your blog addie, *muahahhahahh!*
kenny, can you try sending the pics to this email (i think it’s not published for all to see) instead? thank u thank u
Tim,
Hey, hey, finally you dropped by. Yalar, your blog does have a waiting period to get updated. But since it’s so well-written, it’s well worth the wait!
Hope to catch you around soon at the next makan event, bro!
Ellyne,
Oooo… scared…. Hahahaha….
sc,
Will do, and now I know what “sc” stands for, hee hee.
Take the beluga there one day?
The Quiet Storm,
O most definitely, but some place else where the food’s actually good? I guess where makan is concerned, I tend not to give second chances…
And ugh, after meeting you, Beluga is such a bad nickname, so wrong, so wrong… I’d say you’re one hella sexy tall drink of… limoncello? Yeah, that’ll be just about right.
Suave and gentlemanly. Such a fibber. I was loud! I was…ok, maybe not obnoxious, but suave hardly!
But thanks anyway.
Great to meet you. And Nisa. Take care buddy. See you soon yah.
Nigel
Kenny - are you going to cook? You are after all multi-talented. Can lah!
BTW did you know that 44 Cemetery Road is real? Hop over to 44cemeteryroad.blogspot.com to find out if you dare!
Nigel,
Er, I suppose one can be loud and gentlemanly? Nisa was very impressed with the way you welcomed us when we first arrived, esp. since she was feeling a bit nervous about meeting a whole party of bloggers — you made her feel more relaxed, for sure. By the end of the night, she left the restaurant with glitter in her eyes…
Definitely see ya soon!
Tunku,
Haven’t cooked in years, too stressful (cos I never cook for myself, only for groups of friends, and let me tell you, cooking for 15 guests ain’t no piece of cake!) so I wouldn’t hold my breath if I were you.
44 Cemetery Road is a real address? This I must check out! Feel the creeps already…
Seems like my Pea and Pumpkin are on wanted list! Hmm..i wish someone will offer to dog-sit them while i travels. Hahaha…anyone??
ya, that’s my name, but minus the letter L, that’s my surname actually..;p
PreciousPea,
I’d offer to but I’m a horrible caretaker with animals. Or plants. Even cacti. Yes, cacti. I kill cacti. (No one told me when I was younger not to water them, like, every day. Profusely at that. Bad Kenny.)
sc,
Ah, so now I know. But I prefer calling you by your two initials, it sounds ever so much cooler, like we’re in a gang with secret handshakes and codewords and all. Ahem. (What can I say? Too many detective novels as a kid. Poor deprived Kenny.)
Kenny,
Have you heard of “Pot Luck”? The next time you hold a party for 15 guests, ask each guest to bring a dish. You can just provide cocktails.
I wish I could see the faces of these food bloggers. Still looking for my classmates from high school
how come no updates 1..haha ur blog is meant for me to come and visit so i can perk up my thoughts haha i am so dead reading numbers!
mrshbt,
Yes, I have, dear. I’ve organised potluck dinners many times, and it’s a great way to get a wide variety of dishes and flavours. Sometimes though, there’s nothing like doing the whole shebang yourself… the sense of satisfaction one gets from feeding an army of friends…
I wish I could help with the photos of the foodbloggers but I promised not to reveal most of their faces… If you click on the food review links listed at the end, you’d be able to have a glance at those who are less camera-shy…
lotsofcravings,
Brother, have a day job ma… Can’t blog+comment all the time, though I wish I could. Will squeeze some time for it this weekend. Come back again, don’t go awayyyy…. *drama drama*
Kenny,
haha! True true. But I’ll gain weight if I was to gather with food bloggers.
Kok,
Can’t deny that… I must have gained at least a couple of kilos at least since hanging with the food bloggers and last I checked, I’ve been eating really rich and sinful food every night for the past week!
But how can we resist, brother? One only lives once what…
Too bad I missed the party, you are right about Malaysian floggers…they are shy but the sweetest of the lot.
Rasa Malaysia,
Sweetest.. and saltiest and spiciest too… Even got bitter and sour for those who like their bloggers that way, heh heh heh. Just ask me lah, I’ll intro intro anytime one…
Haha.. beware, she’s just behind you
Ah, not kacau at all… It’ll be fun, I’d say!
Thanks for the link and it was great meeting u guys.
Till the next floggers makan meet! 
ra
–
ipohwav3,
Where? Where? *looks around nervously*
Riz Ainuddin,
Looking forward to meeting you again at the next RSVP. Nippon-style this round!
omigoodness, 56 comments!!! i’m exhausted oridi just getting here. wow, such an articulate fler, AND training to be a body balance instructor too. actually, is there a correlation? balance instructors strike me as more…erm….articulate etc, whereas combat instructors by and large are himbos…aiks i better run for cover, a lot of FF instructors know me.
great blog. u good friends with dina zaman i see. i oso. old friends la.
oh, btw, has anyone in FF (i presume that’s where you’re training for BB) said you resemble an alvin looi?
fatboybakes,
Hey there! Glad you dropped by… Oh I’m not sure what to make of your comments about BodyCombat instructors, but I do enjoy BodyCombat as well… very yin/yang since one is softer and the one is harder; I like them both!
I’m not surprised you know Dina… it’s a small, small world after all.
And I’m with FF but no, no one’s ever told me I look like Alvin Looi. He used to be the GXC at my club though. Small world again…
O_o body combat instructor! so cool….. so, how can i loose some weight with body combat? oh by da way, nice meeting you! had lotsa fun sitting da same table with you all that night
MeiyeN,
O it was my pleasure sitting at the same table as you and Bob that night at Sandias. Your story of how he proposed to you was one-in-a-million!
As for BodyCombat, I’m only a member la! I’m a trainee instructor for BodyBalance (not cleared yet lah, so slow one me) — calmness and balance, not aggresiveness and intensity — very yin/yang, so I love them both!
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