Genting Highlands – Eris Goes To

Food Review: “Vibe Dining” and Contemporary Chinese at FUHU @ Resorts World Genting

August 20, 2019October 23, 2020Posted in Food, Lifestyle, Malaysia, Southeast Asia, TravelTagged Alvin Leung, casual dining., culinary, eating, Featured, food, food photography, food review, Genting, Genting Highlands, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Pahang, Resorts World Genting, restaurant review, Zouk, Zouk Genting, Zouk Malaysia1 Comment

Partygoers in Malaysia (and Singapore) will be familiar with Zouk – one of the biggest names in the Asian clubbing scene. In recent years, the brand has been moving towards more lifestyle-oriented offerings – which is why at Zouk Genting, they have a number of other outlets (besides the main club), such as the games lounge Redtail by Zouk, hiphop club Empire, and Redtail Karaoke.

The latest to join the Zouk Genting family is FUHU. Meaning “Lucky Tiger” in Mandarin, the new ‘vibe dining’ experience entails contemporary Chinese cuisine created by Hong Kong “Demon Chef” Alvin Leung, whose unique yet nostalgic creations fuses East and West; reimagining Asian flavours with a modern spin on classic fare. Its also the perfect place for pre-drinks and after-party drinks with friends, all in a fun and lively atmosphere.

THE DECOR / INTERIOR

Entering through the apothecary-themed entrance, diners venture in through an Instagrammable passageway, complete with mirrors on one side of the wall that reflect lights on the other. The effect is rather ethereal, as you make your way into a mysterious ‘garden’ of sensory delights.

Emerging, be awed by the cool and trendy chinoiserie interiors, which play on elements found in traditional Chinese apothecaries juxtaposed against a garden of wonder brought to life by artful lighting and pop art graffiti. The restaurant covers 750 square metres of space, and seats up to 150 diners.

Celebrated graffiti artist, Kenji Chai brings to life the tale of Lady Meng and the Tiger in a floor-to-ceiling mural, while elements of traditional Chinese culture such as rosewood chairs and Ming-dynasty blue and white porcelain motifs transport guests into the story. The centerpiece is the bar area, which features a life-sized sakura ‘tree’ glowing in the dark.

THE FOOD

If you’ve always wanted to try food by a Michelin-starred chef, here’s your chance. The menu at FUHU was created in collaboration with Chef Alvin Leung. One of the biggest names in the Asian culinary arts scene, Leung is an unconventional figure known for his ‘X-Treme Chinese Cuisine’ and molecular gastronomy, and has three Michelin stars for his restaurant, Bo Innovation, in Hong Kong. The menu at Fuhu, however, will be a departure from his usual style of cooking, and instead pays homage to the unique Chinese dishes from where Leung was born and raised, namely London and Toronto. As such, diners can enjoy smaller plates for sharing, or full-blown Chinese meals complete with rice and dishes.

Signature items include the FUHU Roasted Duck, Aromatic Crispy Duck, Boston Lobster Noodles, Szechuan-style Hot & Sour Lobster Soup, The General’s Fried Chicken & Waffle, and Quark Quark Rice Soup. For our media tasting session, a notable highlight was the Sticky Lamb Shank, which was fall-off-the-bone tender with a sweet glaze and accompanied by a creamy, curry sauce.

Aromatic Crispy Duck. The way you eat this is by shredding the meat and placing it into the soft mantou with some of the sweet sauce and vegetables, making for comforting bite-sized morsels.

A must-have is the Boston Lobster Noodle, bursting with seafoody goodness and generous chunks of fresh, sweet lobster meat. Noodles were silky, each strand coated in the savoury broth.

Another crowd favourite was the General’s Fried Chicken – essentially boneless fried chicken karaage coated in a sweet and spicy sauce. These were insanely addictive, with the crispy skin and tender, juicy meat.

Duck is a major ingredient at Fuhu. The duck essence porridge distills the meat’s goodness into a clear, lip smacking congee that warms the belly. Great for hangovers!

For dessert, the humongous Double Sundae combo, featuring a tall piece of French toast topped with various goodies such as durian ice cream, marshmallows and an ice cream cone.

THE DRINKS

Alcohol lovers will not be disappointed as FUHU serves some amazingly creative cocktails by resident mixologist Saam Pranill. Taking into account Fuhu’s Chinese origins, Saam also incorporates local ingredients and flavours, and drinks are served in unique vessels picked out from his travels, be it antique teapots or mini wooden buckets.

A signature drink here is Drunken Tiger, a mix of gin, campari and martini rosso, and get this – Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa (yes, as in the herbal drink used to treat coughs) garnished with orange zest.

Other must tries include the Tiffined Gin Tonic, featuring artisanal tonic from Greece paired with grapefruit soda and Beefeater, as well as The Reunion, which is served in a Chinese tea set and consists of bourbon, honey, calamansi lime juice, cinnamon, orange slices, hot water and red dates.

All in all, I loved my experience at Fuhu – the food, the drinks and of course, the cool vibe. Definitely a unique experience you won’t get elsewhere, and that you’d want to visit with friends both before and after the party!

FUHU GENTING

Zouk Genting, Level G, Resorts World Genting, 69000 Genting Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia

Business hours: 6PM – 1AM (daily)

fuhudining.com

Malaysia’s First Ever Pokemon Festival ! @ Resorts World Genting

December 3, 2018December 1, 2018Posted in Events/HappeningsTagged Christmas, events, Featured, Genting Highlands, Malaysia, Malaysia events, Pokemon, Pokemon festival, pop culture, Resorts World GentingLeave a comment

Want to see a bunch of bouncing Pikachus?

Then plan a trip to Resorts World Genting – as the Pokemon Festival descends onto the resort for Christmas and Chinese New Year!

From 1 December 2018 until 28 February 2019, join Pikachu and his friends as they frolic, play and captivate visitors with their amazing powers and adorable nature. Taking after the traditional of live Pokemon events worldwide, including the annual Pikachu Outbreak in Yokohama, the Festival will see a series of events big and small happening at the resort.

90s kids will recognise iconic first-gen icons such as Pikachu, Eevee, Bulbasaur, Squirtle and Charmander on display in the malls, alongside dozens of other Pokemon species.

Was at the media launch recently, where the crowd was entertained by a bunch of cute dancing Pikachus! You can catch them at various times daily as they meander through Level 1 of SkyAvenue. For Christmas, the parade will be accompanied by Santarina, Giant XmasBalls, and elves on two mini floats.

Visitors will also find the world’s tallest Pokemon tree at Skytropolis Funland, Resort World’s Genting newly revamped indoor theme park. The tree is decorated with hundreds of Pokemon figures, baubles and lights. Fans can also get up close and personal with a giant, inflatable 6-metre high Pikachu, surrounded by 50 smaller Pikachu plushies.

Pokemon are scattered throughout the mall, so make sure to track down all 32 of them! Although, not all the characters have been unveiled, so you’ll have to wait for them to be ‘released’ over four stages – at Level 2 and 3 of Sky Avenue, First World Plaza, as well as Symphony Stage on Level 1 of SkyAvenue.

There will also be a Pokemon Pop-Up Store on Level 3 of SkyAvenue, offering a huge array of premium merchandise and memorabilia imported directly from the Pokemon Centre in Tokyo, Japan.

While you’re here, check out Wintry Santorini Above the Clouds, happening from 28 November to 1 January 2019, also at SkyAvenue Mall. Drawing inspiration from the island of Santorini in Greece, the ‘village’ emulates the brilliant whitewashed houses, deep blue-dommed roofs and graceful windmills, mingled with twinkling Christmas trees, golden bells and festive garlands. Indulge in Christmas treats and hunt for presents at the various vendors, as artificial snowfall gets you into the mood for a beautiful white Christmas.

More info on rwgenting.com/event-calendar/.

Have a Merry Christmas!

2D1N Itinerary @ Genting Highlands, Malaysia

September 28, 2018February 4, 2021Posted in Food, Malaysia, Southeast Asia, TravelTagged attractions in Malaysia, Featured, Genting Highlands, Malaysia, Pahang, places to visit in Malaysia, travel, travel blog5 Comments

Hey guys!

SO I took a 10-day break a couple of weeks ago to accompany the Boy who was visiting Malaysia – and one of the places we went to was Genting Highlands. For those who have never been here before, it’s basically a huge mountain resort with the only (legal) casino in the country. Works are ongoing for a new Fox Studios Theme Park, but the opening date keeps getting pushed back, and it doesn’t look like it will be up and running anytime soon.

Even so, there are lots of fun things to do in Genting, so here’s our 2D1N itinerary (for reference)!

Note: This is not a ‘budget’ itinerary; I actually blew quite a lot of money there lol. not from gambling but from FOOD LOL

Getting There

There are several ways to get up to Genting. Driving takes about an hour from KL, but there might not always be parking spots (especially during the holiday season or weekends) and the roads are fairly steep, so some cars might not have enough power to go up (cough mine cough)

You can also take a cab from KL, although this will set you back more than RM100. Something to consider if you are going with a group so you can split the cost.

The third option is to take a Resorts World Genting bus from KL Sentral, where they depart hourly. It’s super cheap and you can opt to purchase a package that includes the cable car (the bus does not go all the way up to the resort). You can catch the bus at the basement of KL Sentral – just follow the signs. The entrance is to the left of the escalator going up to Nu Sentral mall.

Bus ride takes an hour and stops at the Awana Sentral Cable Car Station, which is also where you will find the Genting Highlands Premium Outlets. Not really a fan of shopping because I’d rather spend on food lol but if you like branded goods at discount prices, GHPO is a good place to shop for brands like Sacoor Brothers, Adidas, Furla, Calvin Klein, etc.

The cable car ride takes another 15-20 minutes. The weather was super foggy during our visit; we could barely see the gondola in front!

Bus + Cable Car Ride: RM14 per pax

The cable car takes you directly to Sky Avenue, one of the resort’s newer shopping malls. The older sections are being refurbished to make way for new outlets and attractions, so there isn’t too much to explore atm, but there’s a nice selection of retail outlets, mostly clothing and food. The SkyCasino is located on the ground floor. Wanted to go in but they didn’t allow backpacks and we were too lazy to go put it back at our hotel room so we skipped it lol.

Decorations for the Mid-Autumn festival.

Speaking of hotel room, there are several hotels within the resort to choose from, each with different price points. The most luxurious one is Crocksford, which I recently had the pleasure of staying at for work (blog post up soon!), but without the media badge I’m sadly relegated to commoner status lol so I could only afford the budget First World Hotel.

Other options include Maxims (also pricey, 5 stars), Genting Grand Hotel (4 stars), Theme Park Hotel (suitable for sharing coz they have quad beds), Resort Hotel and First World Hotel (3 stars).

First World holds the Guinness Book Of Records for Largest Hotel in the World, with over 7,300 rooms! We had a standard room with a Queen Bed, costing RM100.

Exploring more of SkyAvenue!

One thing I don’t like about the mall is that there. are. no. chairs. I think they want you to walk around and explore as much as possible but when I came with my mom, who is quite elderly now, we couldn’t find any place to rest at all… unless we bought a drink at a cafe. MAYBE THATS WHY LOL

More pretty Mid Autumn deco

View of Genting Grand from the outside. The sun and blue sky came out for awhile

The yet to be completed Fox Studios Theme Park. It still seems like there’s a long way to go.

Dinner was at Burger & Lobster, the beloved London franchise that serves… well, burgers and lobsters. The outlet has been going strong since it opened in Malaysia two years ago, and even though it was a Thursday, the queue was pretty long – a good thing we got there early!

Boy had the Original Lobster, steamed and served with their signature Lemon & Garlic Butter sauce.

Fun fact: Live lobsters are flown in from Nova Scotia in Canada and kept in RWG’s facilities to ensure freshness.

I had Chilli Lobster – a special dish made exclusively for B&L Malaysia. It’s similar to Singapore’s famous chilli crab, but with lobster instead – and it’s served with thick and fluffy brioche slices. It was good, albeit a tad salty, but the brioche was excellent to sop up the gravy.

**For some reason, I was less impressed on this particular visit. The lobsters were good but they weren’t like WHOA, as compared to when I ate here when they first opened. Anyway the only reason we went for lobster was because the Boy hadn’t tried it before and I really wanted to get his opinion on it so now that we’ve had it, this’ll be a one off thing. UNLESS OF COURSE THERE ARE MORE MEDIA REVIEWS HEHEHE

RM153 + RM173 + taxes = RM350++ and a bleeding wallet

Breakfast: It was cold in the morning and I wanted siew loong bao lol. If you have never had these dainty soup-filled dumplings you are missing out on life. I was happy that they had opened a Paradise Dynasty in Genting – it’s one of my favourite places to get good siew loong bao. Boy had the colourful 8-flavour basket which includes flavours like Szechuan, Garlic, Truffle, Crab Roe, Original and Cheese.

My favourite is the cheese so I ordered a basket all for myself hahaha. I could probably eat 20+ of these but wallet lol.

TOTAL RM100 (probably the most expensive I’ve ever had for a breakfast).

After checking out, we took the cable car down, stopping mid-way at the Chin Swee Cave Temple Station. You can stop here to explore the temple at no extra cost. It was raining a little and extra foggy – this scene looks like it could have been out of a Silent Hill film!

The temple sits on forested land donated by the founder of Resorts World Genting, Lim Goh Tong, and was officially opened in 1994. Combining Chinese Buddhist and Taoist beliefs, the temple is dedicated to Qingshui (Chin Swee in Hokkien), a deity in China’s Fujian province, Lim’s hometown.

Despite being 24 years old, the buildings, statues and shrines are kept in pristine condition – almost as if it was opened just yesterday. Personally, Chin Swee Temple is one of my favourite temples out of the many I have visited, simply because of its scenic location which overlooks the valley below. On cloudy days (like this one!) it really seems as if the entire temple is floating above the clouds.

Statue of Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong.

The central courtyard which features a traditional wooden building that houses several deities, and a large statue of Gwan Yin, the goddess of mercy.

Another prominent statue at the temple is that of Buddha, which towers at least three storeys-high. Look at how misty it is! Gave the place a mysterious, ethereal feel.

The valley all but disappeared. Shrouded in mist, the dragon statues looked like they’d come alive at any second.

View of the mountains from the temple’s balcony. It looked exactly like an ancient Chinese painting! Why travel to China when you can get breathtaking views like this here ?

The temple has a section called Journey To Enlightenment, which details one’s ordeal after death, and subsequent rebirth. Pretty scary stuff, as the statues show in graphic detail what evil-doers will have to suffer through when in hell.

Ye probably not something you want the kids to see lol

The bus and cable car ride back costs about RM14.

So there you have it! Our 2D1N itinerary to Genting. Course, you can save more if you don’t eat as pricey as us bahaha.

Happy travels!

Lorde, Alt-J, Odesza & The Neighbourhood To Headline Good Vibes Festival 2018

April 25, 2018Posted in Events/Happenings, LifestyleTagged electronic music, events, Featured, Genting Highlands, Good Vibes Festival, Lorde, Malaysia, music, music festivals, OdeszaLeave a comment

Music lovers and partygoers: the Malaysian-made Good Vibes Festival is back for its fifth edition on 21 & 22 July at The Ranch@ Gohtong Jaya, Genting Highlands – and it’s bigger and better than ever.

Expect a weekend getaway of good vibes and good times with international chart-toppers and cutting-edge local acts. Headlining the two-day fest is New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde of Royals, Yellow Flicker Beat and Green Light fame. At just 21, the talented songstress’ husky vocals and melodramatic performances have set her apart from her mainstream peers, and fans can expect Lorde to drop several hits from her latest album.

Fresh off the success of their third full-length album Relaxer’ is indie rock trio alt-J. Chart toppers in their native UK, look out for older songs such as Breezeblocks, or 3WW, off their latest album.

American act The Neighbourhood will be no stranger to the masses, having enjoyed massive radio airplay in Malaysia with songs such as Sweater Weather and WDYWFM. Their signature moody, slinky sound will prove fitting against the backdrop of the highlands at The Ranch.

Toronto duo Majid Jordan (above) takes the stage by straddling the sweet intersection of bright, pulsing pop songs and melancholic, moody r’n’b cuts. Also on the #GoodVibesFest bill is Australian pop phenomenon Nick Murphy fka Chet Faker(“No Diggity”, “Stop Me”), whose recent artistic metamorphosis towards a more radical, neo-soul r’n’b sound is reflected in his decision to retire his former moniker Chet Faker.

Seattle-based electronic duo on the rapid rise, ODESZA (“Sun Models” featuring
Madelyn Grant, “Line of Sight” featuring Mansionair and WYNNE) are known for carving out an identity in a crowded electronic pop landscape with their envelope-pushing ethereal,
expansive anthems.

Rounding up the international acts are prodigal electronic club producer SG Lewis (“Aura”, “No Less”). HONNE (“Someone That Loves You”, “Warm On A Cold Night”), oozing sensual synths, slick basslines, and swoon-inducing choruses, American DJ-producer pair Louis The Child (“It’s Strange”, “Weekend”) with electronic dance bangers, seductive scores and tropical house vibes as well as precocious French prodigy Petit Biscuit (“Memories”, “Sunset Lover”) making his presence known at the festival with atmospheric, melodic nostalgia-inducing masterpieces.

On the local lineup, expect no less than Malaysia’s most prolific rapper Altimet (“Amboi”, “Kalau Aku Kaya”), performing with The Kawan Band on the day; Noh Salleh (“Angin Kencang”, “Bunga Di Telinga”), the award-winning solo artiste and
frontman of indie rock stalwarts Hujan; five-piece rock’n’rollers Kyoto Protocol (“Jelita” feat.
Liyana Fizi, “Tiada Lagi Kidungmu”); electro duo darlings Pastel Lite (“Assassin”, “Damsel”);
fast-rising feisty rapper Zamaera (“Helly Kelly”, “Wanita”); Malaysian indie-pop artiste Froya
(“Sunny Side Down”, “Uncomprehended Child”); songstress-songwriter Bil Musa (“No More
Excuses”, “Owe It All To You”); Malaysia-based Indonesian producer Emir Hermono (“3AM In
Jakarta”, “Fake Friends”); and singer-songwriter and YouTuber LUNADIRA (“Forever’s Not Our
Thing”).

For the first time ever, the festival introduces a new premium VIP experience,
featuring amenities such as a designated VIP entry lane, VIP access to the festival on both
days, access to the VIP Deck with a raised deck for optimal stage views; an exclusive VIP
bar, specially curated VIP vendors, designated toilets; and exclusive front row pit access at
both main stages. Festival-goers can also expect a great deal of exclusive festival goodies and giveaways as well as a food village with awesome eats.

Tickets for a two day pass: RM330 (early bird), Phases 1-3: RM360, RM380, RM400
One day pass: RM300
Squad goals pass: 5 x 2 day passes – RM1,750
VIP Two day pass: RM550

goodvibesfestival.com

Food Review: The Olive Italian Restaurant, Maxims Resort World Genting

March 11, 2018March 7, 2018Posted in FoodTagged Featured, food, food photography, food review, Genting Highlands, Italian, italian food, Malaysia, restaurant review, The OliveLeave a comment

With its dim lighting, warm hues and attentive service, The Olive at Maxims, Resorts World Genting exudes elegance and class. The fine dining establishment, which has received numerous awards since its inception, specialises in Continental cuisine, which I got a small taste of during a recent visit for work.

Kicking off the meal, there is the strikingly-coloured squid ink bread, which had a nice, crispy crust dusted lightly with flour. The exterior had a texture similar to baguette, but softer, while the inside was light, airy and fluffy. There was a notable, slightly bitter undertone, which I presume is from the squid ink, although it wasn’t unpleasant.

Caviar; olive oil for dipping.

Amuse bouche of fried vegetable tempura, accompanied by jelly cubes and bits of fresh tuna. Wonderful blend of textures and flavours, batter was light and crispy, and the jelly cubes had a refreshing, citrus-like taste.

Mushroom soup topped with foam. Thick and chock full of ingredients, the flavours were well balanced and exhibited the rich earthiness of the mushrooms.

The star of the show was undoubtedly the Lobster Tail and Chilean Seabass with Orange Basil Sauce, Asparagus, and Mushrooms Ragout. This dish was specially crafted for our media visit, and as such, is not yet available on the menu. You can try the award-winning Chilean Seabass dish at the restaurant, just without the lobster tail.

The dish hit all the right notes, and was done with finesse. Huge, meaty chunk of seabass, perfectly done. Airflown into Malaysia, it still retained an amazing degree of freshness, and the flesh was naturally sweet and had a melt in the mouth texture. Asparagus was also done well, crisp and cooked to perfection. Lobster tail was sweet with a springy texture, and the orange basil sauce brought all the different elements together. Worthy of a five star establishment!

To end the meal, molten chocolate lava cake which oozed out beautifully when the cake was cut. It was a little too sweet, but the tartness of the fruit and the lightness of the ice cream cut through the flavours and prevented it from being cloying.

If you’re looking to impress a date while in Genting, or simply want to splurge a little with your casino winnings, opt for The Olive for its impeccable service, ambience and excellent food.

THE OLIVE

Lobby Floor, Maxims Genting

Opening hours: 6PM – 11PM (daily), 12PM – 2.30PM (Sundays only)

For reservations, call +603-6101 1118

Food Review: NeNe Chicken @ Sky Avenue, Genting Highlands – Largest Fried Chicken Franchise in Korea Now In Malaysia!

March 10, 2018March 7, 2018Posted in FoodTagged Featured, food, food photography, food review, Genting Highlands, Korean food, Korean fried chicken, NeNe Chicken, Sky Avenue1 Comment

I’m a sucker for fried chicken, so when I went up to Genting Highlands recently, I couldn’t resist trying out the latest Korean fried chicken franchise in town. NeNe is very popular in its native South Korea, with over 1,200 outlets, as well as a presence in Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia. The one at Sky Avenue is their first in Malaysia, with more to come soon. The term ‘NeNe’ translates to ‘Yes Yes’ in Korean.

Here’s a short video that I put together! Please ignore the overlapping watermarks – I used two different video editing apps coz one didn’t have the music I wanted. 😛

The resto is located on a small outdoor strip connecting two malls. I like the colour scheme of mint green and yellow. Gives it a bright and cheerful feel.

50 Shades of Fried Chickin’

It was a Friday afternoon and the resto was quite empty.

I’d like to comment on the service – BAD. The cashier was chatting with someone at the kitchen as I stood at the counter pondering which item to get; was extremely curt when I asked what she would recommend, and just appeared disinterested and unhelpful. Is this a job after SPM that you’re working at to pass the time?

The good thing is, the order was served quickly. Collected it and moved upstairs where there were more seats. There were limited seats on the ground floor.

Similar colour scheme and theme – unpolished concrete floors and walls, more chicken-y decor.

If there aren’t too many customers, I suggest sitting on the outdoor patio (smoking area minus the smokers) where you can have a nice view of the buildings around Genting, and enjoy the cool air.

Time to dig in.

There are six flavours to choose from, namely Swicy, Original, Freaking Hot, Bulgogi, Snowing Cheese, and Snowing Vegetable. If you want to mix two different flavours, the outlet at Genting charges you RM3 extra.

I chose Swicy. The chicken was tossed well in a sweet and spicy sauce, sprinkled over with fragrant sesame. The meat itself was tender and juicy on the inside with crunchy outer skin, and was not overwhelmingly greasy. I think I should have opted for a different flavour though coz the sauce was a bit too sweet for my liking. Still tasty, just not the best KFC (by that I mean Korean fried chicken!) that I’ve had. I still prefer the one at Wagle Wagle.

NENE CHICKEN (SKY AVENUE BRANCH)

T2C-09 of Level 4,SkyAvenue, Genting Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia

Food: 4/5 – tasty!
Ambience: 5/5 – Nice and cosy. Might be a different story if packed. Should have more seats on the ground floor.
Service: 2/5 – Resto should look at improving their staff training to be more courteous and helpful.
Value for Money: 3/5 – *Can’t remember the exact price, but should not cost more than RM20 for six pc drumettes/wings. Price does not include drinks.

nenechicken.com.my

Weekend Wanders: Revisiting SkyAvenue @ Genting Highlands

January 13, 2018January 11, 2018Posted in Lifestyle, Malaysia, Southeast Asia, TravelTagged casino, entertainment, Featured, Genting Highlands, Lifestyle, Malaysia, Pahang, places to visit in Malaysia, shopping, Sky Avenue, travel4 Comments

Even though Genting Highlands is a short one hour drive from Kuala Lumpur, part of the reason why I don’t go up often is because the roads are windy and I get terrible headaches, especially with my dad driving LOL. But it sure doesn’t stop the millions of visitors who throng the mountain top entertainment hub each year to enjoy the cooling weather.

While the name Genting used to be associated with casinos and gambling, they’ve done a pretty good job at branding themselves in recent years as a more family-centric destination, with shopping, exclusive F&B brands and the upcoming FOX theme park (scheduled to open in 2018).

It’s already been a year since I last visited Sky Avenue, GH’s lifestyle mall, when I went up for a media review of their restaurants, Burger & Lobster, Motorino and Cafes Richard. It was pretty empty back then; the concourse area wasn’t even open.

Since then, the mall has welcomed a over 70+ tenants, from F&B outlets to clothing and luxury goods, as well as entertainment outlets, gaming centres, members club, casino, and more.

The concourse area is where the mall stages an impressive light show every hour, featuring balls of light that bob up and down in rhythmic patterns, accompanied by music. It’s called the Sky Symphony. Video below:

Bubble lights

A post shared by erisgoesto (@erisgoesto) on Jan 6, 2018 at 11:30pm PST

Wandered around the mall and came across a family entertainment centre. There was a playground for the kids complete with animatronic dinos, train rides, vending machines, and a Ripley’s Believe It Or Not museum.

The parents can probably enjoy a nice relaxing massage / fish spa while the kids have fun.

Then Pops and the Bro went to play slot machines, while the Moomikins and I went shopping at Padini. My worries about the place having higher prices was unfounded; prices are standard, and they have a nice selection of clothes too.

Cute outfit. Too bad I’m broke af atm.

Tbh, there wasn’t much to do apart from shopping since I don’t gamble and the theme park isn’t open yet. It didn’t feel much different from a mall down in KL, since you only get to feel the fog and cold weather when you step outside. We thought lunch at the food court-esque Malaysian Food Street would be cheaper, but the Roti Canai costs RM14!?????? Probably targeted at the foreign tourists, but come on… seven times the price is too much. I’d rather pay that amount for a meal at a nice Japanese restaurant.

There also seems to be a lack of seats. They probably want you to walk around or pop into a cafe so that you’ll spend more money.. Moomikins and I ended up sitting on the floor (we weren’t the only ones) while waiting for my dad and bro to finish their casino session. (they won seven bucks. still not enough to buy that roti canai).

Welp. Just a quick update on a weekend trip up to Genting! I’m actually looking forward to the theme park opening. Til then.

French Pastries @ Cafes Richard, Sky Avenue Genting

February 15, 2017April 4, 2017Posted in Food, Malaysia, TravelTagged Cafes Richard, coffee, dining, Featured, fine dining, food, French, Genting Highlands, Malaysia, Sky Avenue3 Comments

The trend among youths today is to hangout at ‘cool’ spots – and the newly opened Cafes Richard at Sky Avenue, Resorts World Genting seems set to be one of them. A top coffee roaster in France, this is the brand’s first venture in Malaysia and its first cafe-cum-brasserie concept. As part of a media trip, I got to try out their tea-time ‘box’ set – a unique drawer that opens up to beautiful bite-sized pastries on each level. 🙂

Dainty creme brulees and chocolate eclairs, sinful cheesecakes and fruit tarts, sweet milky macarons, fluffy mushroom pops, salmon and cream cheese and cream and berry cornets were just some of the items in the box set. Good enough for three people, even!

Aside from tea, they serve breakfast, lunch and dinner, and there’s also a bar inside serving alcoholic drinks. At night there’s live entertainment at the lounge area so you can get up to five different experiences at the cafe, depending on your time of visit! 🙂