Covid-19, Diary of a Foodster, Eat, Food, Kids Activities, Parenting, Pizza Delivery Singapore, The Idea Box

Pizza Delivery Singapore Review – Handcrafted Pizzas For Delivery

August 1, 2020August 3, 2020 katongkidsinc

It is all well known that Italy is the place where pizzas originated. Imagine savouring the traditional Italian-styled pizza that comes with toasty crust with charred spots, accompanied by fluffy dough that is moist and stretchy, not to mentioned toppings that are cooked through and piping hot, is just too tempting to reject.

Instead of dining out, how about getting it delivered right at your doorstep? Thanks to Pizza Delivery Singapore, an upscale fast-casual concept that serves up artisan-style pizzas and pastas made on demand, they have made dining experience more satisfying than ever.

What is so convenient of Pizza Delivery SG is that you can get to choose your delivery date and preferred time slot. All we need to do is to make a selection, place an order, and make payment, piping hot pizzas will be delivered to us.

For our pizza indulgence, we picked the following selections:

Pizza

(1) Seafood Pizza | 9″ Medium Pizza | Thick Crust Pizza

As seafood is one of our favourite food, the seafood pizza certainly satisfy our taste buds. It comes with a combination of juicy prawns, tuna chunks, fresh tender squid and succulent scallops drenched in mozzarella cheese and extra virgin olive oil.

(2) Mistocarne Pizza | 9″ Medium Pizza | Thick Crust Pizza

Mistocarne Pizza comes with toppings of pork pepperoni, beef bolognese and chicken breast, topped with extra virgin olive oil and a ton of mozzarella cheese.

(3) La Amatriciana Pizza | 9″ Medium Pizza | Thick Crust Pizza

Next on our order is the La Amatriciana Pizza, which comes with tangy tomato sauce, streaky bacon, sliced yellow onions, red chilli, mozzarella cheese, and garnished with fresh parsley. It was fine for adults like us but do sound out to your kiddos if they do not consume chilli!

(4) Hawaiian Pizza | 9″ Medium Pizza | Thick Crust Pizza

Needless to say, Hawaiian Pizza is one of our all-time favourite. Tender chicken ham slices, classic Italian tomato sauce, juicy chicken breast, capsicum peppers, mozzarella cheese and topped with succulent pineapple chunks would certainly warm the cockles of everyone’s heart!

(5) Bolognese Pizza | 9″ Medium Pizza | Thick Crust Pizza

Cheese galore and Small M’s loving it 🙂

Spiced beef bolognese simmered in tang tomato sauce, extra virgin olive oil and a ton of mozzarella cheese.

(6) Beef Salami Pizza | 9″ Medium Pizza | Thick Crust Pizza

Beef Salami Pizza in tangy tomato sauce with briny olives, mozzarella cheese topped extra virgin olive oil and fresh basil. Meat lovers would be spoiled for choices.

Photos of above pizzas are credited to Owari Photography

Traditional Italian Pasta

(1) Spaghetti Al Granchio

This is Big and Small M’s favourite. They are always hankering for tomato cream sauce pasta and this came at the best time. We like this order for the fact that the prawns are fresh and not too small and it was very filling for 2 kiddos to share with each other.

(2) Chicken Alfredo Pasta

Chicken Alfredo Pasta below comes with a creamy pasta sauce with tender slices of lean protein, white wine, shittake mushrooms, grounded black pepper and finely chopped parsley.

Side Dishes

(1) Crispy Chicken Wings

These crispy chicken wings are exactly crispy and not too oily. Packed with the perfect crunch and sticky sweetness, we savoured them all at one go!

(2) Beefy Meatball | 8 Pieces

Juicy beefy meatballs baked in tangy Italian Arrabbiata sauce and topped with cheddar cheese.

(3) Honey Mustard Prawn | 6 Pieces

Simple, delicious and fabulously crunchy. We would recommend honey mustard prawns to go together with any pizza order!

Pizza Delivery is currently running a promotion of BUY 1 FREE 1 of any medium or large pizzas. Hey, it promises delivery within an hour and offers free delivery when you order above S$60. Planning for your next family meals? Try ordering from Pizza Delivery Singapore!

Pizza Delivery:

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Thank you Best in Singapore for the recommendation. You can check out their website, Facebook and Instagram to find out what are the best products and services in Singapore.

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All photos, information and opinions, unless otherwise stated, in this post belong to Katong Kids Inc. Reproducing or copying them for use on third party sites without our written permission are strictly prohibited. All rights reserved.

Moneysmart, Personal Loan, Singapore blogs, Singapore Products, The Idea Box

Applying for a Personal Loan – What You Need to Know

June 16, 2020June 17, 2020 katongkidsinc

Since the COVID-19 pandemic made a widespread impact around the world with the outbreak situation worsened rapidly, Singapore too, is not spared. According to news report, Singapore is heading towards its worst-ever recession in nearly two decades as the economy continues to feel severe strain from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The current situation here in Singapore amid COVID-19 times is, well, pretty grim for many of us. As essential businesses shut down and the country debates difficult years ahead, more Singaporeans have been impacted financially – furloughs, job losses and pay cuts. With no clear date of when things will return to normal and no easy prospects of finding further employment at this time, many are starting to worry about their financial situation.

Your financial health is important, just like your physical health. Doing a reality check to find out where your money is going and assessing how much you have (after scraping every option and minimizing expenses) can help you determine what adjustments you need to make in your life.

Questions like “How can I afford my bills?” and “How can I make ends meet?” are becoming all too common. With the pressure weighing heavily on you and finding yourself struggling financially, weighing your options on taking up a personal loan may not be a bad idea. Use in the right way, a personal loan can come in handy in managing your cash flow. Before taking it up, it is important to understand there are 2 situations where applying for a personal loan is not only a good idea, but might actually save you from further debt:

You are overwhelmed by high-interest debt

Credit cards are ubiquitous in our society. With the convenience of tapping into ‘future money’, it is tempting to spend as and when we want. However, when used unwisely, we will face the brunt of astronomical interest rates (up to 26% per annum!) when credit card bills are either left unpaid or only settle by minimum payment every month.

Consolidating and repaying such high-interest debt is one of the single best uses for a personal loan. The interest rate on a personal loan is far lesser than the interest rate on a credit card. By borrowing a personal loan to pay back your credit card debt, it makes more sense and relieve a lot more stress from you.

When some say comparison is the thief of joy, it is not exactly true.

For someone who is saddled with high-interest debt, he will never know how much he can save until a search for the best personal loan interest rates for 2020 at MoneySmart reveals the pleasant surprise.

Of course, you will need to make sure you have a healthy credit rating so that you can qualify for a personal loan to make the consolidation worth your time and effort.

You are in need for an emergency fund

Emergency fund gives you a much-needed buffer in the event something significant happens financially that you cannot quick come back from. Some examples include:

#1 Medical Bills

Medical emergency is one such event that can cripple your finances when a loved one, who is not sufficiently covered by insurance, is in need of medical care. The staggering healthcare costs in Singapore is something we cannot overlook and one can be prepared to shell out a lot of money for such expenses.

#2 Home Repairs

It is bad enough to be cooped up at home during the COVID-19 lockdown. Imagine spending warm and stuffy days at home plagued with air conditioner problems, it is certainly an experience you do not want to repeat. A personal loan could give you a much needed respite.

#3 Helping Out Someone in Need

Helping out your loved ones or someone floundering in deep water financially can be an event you can’t ignore. Be it for a medical reason or helping someone to tide through difficult moments in event of retrenchment could go a long way.

Getting a personal loan in Singapore is one way to meet your emergency needs – be it emergency medical bills, air conditioner repairs, or a financial misstep. With emergency funds, time is of the essence and it is always good to know there are personal loans in Singapore with the fastest approval and cash disbursement you can tap on.

A personal loan may not be for everyone

Taking on debt in the form of a personal loan comes with making a conscious decision. Before you take the leap, remember these golden rules:

Don’t borrow more than you can repay (Be certain that you have the ability to pay off the debt in full)
Don’t borrow to splurge on your ‘want’ (A want is temporal, while a need is essential)
Timely and regular repayment (Disciplined payment habit helps you to avoid late payment charges)

These pointers from MoneySmart sums up the understanding on personal loan. That being said, you should take up a personal loan only when you absolutely NEED to.

The ideas expressed in this blog should not be construed as an enticement to buy or sell securities, commodities or assets. The accuracy or completeness of the information provided cannot be guaranteed. Readers should carry out independent verification of information provided.

China, Diary of a Foodster, Dongmen Food Street, Eat, Food, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, The Idea Box, Vacation

Shenzhen Travelogue – (Part 3): What to eat and explore in Dongmen Food Street

February 15, 2020 katongkidsinc

What a way to ring in the Lunar New Year with the outbreak of coronavirus, which was bit disheartening. However, we made it back to Singapore before the outbreak came a month later. Despite this, one can’t deny that Shenzhen, adjacent to Hong Kong on the Mainland China border, is an affordable, convenient and fun destination to travel.

Airbnb

Shenzhen’s imposing urban sprawl and cloud-piercing towers can make it an overwhelming destination at first look. Accommodation in Shenzhen is much cheaper than Guangzhou and this Airbnb stay came at half the cost. We were pleasantly surprised that we found this gem which was so much better than our stay in Guangzhou.

Nevermind that we have yet to explore every corner of this loft apartment. Small M is definitely contented with the interiors.

The local school is located next to our building and it is not surprising to hear the children clamouring during their breaks.

The loft unit is expansive and does not compromise when it comes to comfort.

Dongmen 东门 food street is the place to satisfy your food cravings

Dong Men (东门, which translates into East Gate) is a large labyrinth of shops selling not just clothings and apparels but also delectable food. If you are taking the train, alight at Laojie station and exit D.

You will pass by a shopping street before arriving at the food street.

We were bombarded with lots of street food options the moment we stepped into this place.

Eat to your heart’s desire. Shenzhen’s local cuisine in the form of beef sticks, stinky tofu, grilled squid, takoyaki, and, for the adventurous, shellfish.

Pork blood jelly is abundantly popular in Chinese cooking. It was widely sold during our younger days but has since been banned in Singapore due to food hygiene.

Grilled Skewered Squid stuffed with meat fillings.

A popular street snack in Asia. Stinky tofu (chou do fu) that has been fermented and smells like it has gone bad. Do you dare to eat it?

Everyone is no stranger to Taipei Shilin Night Market 士林夜市, one of the largest and most popular night markets in Taiwan. 蚵仔煎 oyster omelette is found here too.

We know that Tiger Sugar 老虎堂 has garnered a large fanbase in Taiwan and Hong Kong. This is how Tiger Sugar get its name – the moment when dark brown sugar syrup interacts with the thick milk in the cup. Getting a hold of it in Shenzhen without waiting in a long queue is certainly a bonus!

We are feeling peckish and these local seafood looked really appetising!

This plate of flower crabs and big prawns cost about SGD$17.

This tiny pizza store is probably Shenzhen’s best kept treasure. We were initially sceptical of the pizza’s quality as it only cost SGD$2.

But the queue did not cease and we saw how the pizza were freshly made and baked in front of you.

It comes with a solid-looking crust and glistening cheese and tastes great.

We find ourselves back in the queue for a second order even before we finished eating the pizza!

Also, we settled for this piping-hot grilled fish which this is sure to satisfy any fish-lovers cravings. It looked really damn good. The fish is first grilled before allowing it to poach over a fire in a rich broth alongside other ingredients such as vegetables and an assortment of other aromatics. A big NO to chilli for the kids.

Hungry for more? You should visit Shenzhen one day!

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Baiyun Mountain, Beijing Road, Blogger, Chen Clan Ancestral Hall, China, Food, Growing Up, Guangzhou, Guangzhou Pearl River, Shopping, Singapore, Singapore blogs, Singapore Parent Blogger, Singapore Travel Blog, The Idea Box, Travel, Travel Blog, Vacation

Guangzhou Travelogue – (Part 2): Baima Clothing Wholesale Market, Beijing Road, Chen Clan Ancestral Hall, Baiyun Mountain and Pearl River

January 8, 2020 katongkidsinc

Guangzhou is safe and suitable for family to travel. We visited the bustling Baima wholesale market and the items were, but not overly cheap.

Baima Clothing Wholesale Market

This wholesale market is located at the Guangzhou Railway Station. You will know it’s the right place when you see people lugging big plastic bags of clothing.

The whole place was made up of various buildings/malls and basically they are selling clothings and accessories at wholesale prices.

With such a big crowd, food stalls will inevitably exist to cater to the hunger pangs.

We felt the weather at 22 degree was warm but still, the locals were out in their thick coats.

Try shopping in the wholesale markets and find good bargains. New stock arrivals…a common sight.

The prices are marked up when quoted to you so spend your time bargaining in your shopping spree.

Address: No.16, Zhannan Road, Yuexiu District; close to Guangzhou Railway Station

Opening Hours: 8:30 – 17:30

How to Get There:

1. Take metro line 2 and line 5, and get off at Guangzhou Railway Station.

2. Take bus Business Line 1, 2, 3 and bus line 5, 238, 290, 301a, 518, 543, Gaofeng Rapid line 25, Night 88, and get off at Zhannan Road Station. Then walk to the north for about 250 meters (260 yd).

Beijing Lu Pedestrian Street

Beijing Road is located in the center of Guangzhou and is probably the busiest street. The whole stretch is about 1.5km so can imagine there are so many attractions to explore.

Not even peak hour but look at the crowd!

Big and Small M trying out the Christmas special soft-serve.

Eating is an important part of Chinese culture. The street foods sold by the operators were better than we expected. Not only they are clean, super yummy as well!

But street food is the way to go and to satisfy the taste buds.

1. Take metro line 6, and get off at Beijing Road Station. Leave from Exit B.

2. Take metro line 1 or line 2, and get off at Gongyuanqian Station, and leave from Exit D and then walk to east for about 800 meters (880 yd).

3. Take City Sightseeing Bus Ancient City Line and Xiguan Style Line and get off at Beijing Road Station.

4. Take bus line 10, 183, 190, 1, 219, 3, 541, 544, 66, B8, Night 1, Night 32, Night 36, Night 39, Night 69, Night 8, and get off at Beijing Road Intersection Station.

Chen Clan Ancestral Hall

The Chen Clan Ancestral Hall or Chen Clan Academy is an academic temple in Guangzhou, China, built by the 72 Chen clans for their juniors’ accommodation and preparation for the imperial examinations in 1894 in Qing Dynasty.

It is situated near to our Airbnb so it is a must-go attraction. We are not big fans of museums so didn’t spend much time there. However, the wood carvings and paintings are examples of super workmanship and certainly present an eye-opener to tourists.

But it does offer good spots for photo-taking.

Had our lunch here at this restaurant near to the Chen Clan Ancestral Hall.

While the rest of the dishes were so-so, the steamed fish was fantastic.

Guangzhou Baiyun Mountain

Baiyun Mountain (also known as “white cloud mountain”) offers spectacular views.

You can either choose to walk/hike, take a buggy ride or cable car. We chose the latter.

We spent half a day at Baiyun Mountain not because of enjoying ourselves but time wasted in taking the buggy rides at different points to reach the cable car station. You have to alight from the buggy at one point and queue up again to buy tickets to hop onto another buggy.

Our advice is to take the cable car from the ground instead of going up the Baiyun Mountain to find the cable car station.

Opposite the Baiyun Cableway is a food street.

Freshly made Guangzhou-style rice rolls.

Chee cheong fun or rice noodle roll. The stuffing of the salty rice noodle roll mainly includes pork, beef, shrimp meat and pork liver.

A walk in the neighbourhood after our dinner.

Guangzhou Pearl River

One can not be considered to have visited Guangzhou if he hasn’t cruised the scenic Pearl River. We wanted to try the river cruise where during the ride we could catch attractions such as Haiyin Bridge, Canton Tower and such but too bad we didn’t make it in time.

But still, walking around the Pearl River wasn’t that bad either.

What a beautiful Guangzhou.

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Alipay International Version, Baiyun International Airport, China, Guangzhou, Photography, Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street, Shopping, Singapore blogs, Singapore Parent Blogger, Singapore Travel Blog, The Idea Box, Travel, Travel Blog, Vacation

Guangzhou Travelogue – (Part 1): ICC SIM Card, Baiyun International Airport, Alipay International Version, Dim Sum Spot and Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street

December 29, 2019 katongkidsinc

In deciding to explore other parts of China, we chose Guangzhou and Shenzhen this time round.

Guangzhou is also known as Canton and is the capital and most populous city of the province of Guangdong. Before the trip, we purchased SIM cards from Qoo10. Note that ICC Cards allow us to avoid the “firewall of China”.

Buy ICC Card from Qoo10

We only need to plug-and-play the SIM cards into our mobile phones upon arrival at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport and we are ready to go. You can use in Hong Kong and Macau too.

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport

Adorable children having an excursion at the airport!

Guangzhou Metro is located within the airport. Look at how the airport interiors are beautifully furnished.

Guangzhou is conveniently connected by metro so we would not need to take any taxi. We felt it’s more worthwhile to buy one-trip tickets instead of 3-day pass which cost us RM50 per pax.

Use Alipay Tour Pass from now on

Our first time using Alipay International e-wallet and all goes well!

This is the metro “card” or token.

Remember to download Guangzhou Metro Map app.

Image result for guangzhou mrt map"

Our Airbnb is located near the Chen Clan Academy Station which is a metro station on Line 1.

The hassle of staying at Airbnb. The host will only inform the location upon arrival so we need some time to locate the place.

A street peddler selling novels. For a moment, we thought the novels looked like “wu ling mi ji“..

A shame not trying the food at this restaurant. It was jam-packed throughout the day. Look at the queue outside!

Our Airbnb

So, this is our Airbnb building.

This will be our abode for the next few days. The place is not so fantastic – weak / non-existent wifi, dusty and water heater not working well.

But hey, we are staying next to a shopping mall!

The place was bustling with activities early in the morning.

One of our favourite bakery where we bought egg tarts every day.

Yummy egg tarts for breakfast and supper. Only SGD1 per box of 4!

Guangzhou Dim Sum is just thumbs up

It was said that the modern form of dim sum is believed to originate in Guangzhou (or Canton) and later transmit southward to Hong Kong. So we are at the right place to taste one of the best dim sum.

Dim Sum in Guangzhou is cheap when compared to Singapore or Hong Kong. Per steamer basket is about SGD2 as compared to SG of about $3.50.

We actually over-ordered. Did not expect the steamer basket to be “JUMBO” size…next time we will be aware.

Here is our order. We spent over an hour trying to finish the food to fill up our small tummies.

One do not need to pay an astronomical sum for good food. Here in Guangzhou dim sum food-hunting is one of the best finds.

Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street is the place to go

We did our research before the trip. It seems everyone was raving about shopping in Beijing Road. We discovered that Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street is much better in terms of price and variety.

Shangxiajiu Pedestrian Street, or simply as Shangxiajiu, is a commercial pedestrian street in Liwan District, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.

Promoting mobile phones and attracting street onlookers to have a time of e-game!

Yummy taro pie from McDonald’s.

This street is awesome to find clothing stores, snacks and restaurants. The stretch of Shangxiajiu is more than 800 meters long and you can see many Lingnan style balcony buildings here.

Many tourists here all the year round finding cheap buys.

When night falls, the street comes alive.

There are many traditional snacks of Guangzhou for us to taste.

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Blue Seal Ice Park, Eat, Education, Food, Japan, Katong Kids Inc, Kids Activities, Kokusaidori, Okinawa, Orion Happy Park, The Idea Box, Travel, Travel Blog, Traveler Wifi, Urasoe Park, Vacation, Wifi Router

Okinawa Travelogue – (Part 6): Urasoe Park, Blue Seal Ice Park, Orion Happy Park and Kokusaidori Yataimura

December 19, 2019 katongkidsinc

The Urasoe Park has arguably the longest slide in Okinawa. Every kid who visited the place will definitely fall in love with the amazing slide that takes about over a minute to complete.

Urasoe Park

The speed was limited by rollers and we wished we could go faster. But nevermind, the fun part could not be taken away.

It does look fun and thrilling. Something that we can’t find back at home but a word of warning that too long a slide could hurt the buttocks.

Just a short drive up from Urasoe Park is another playground where kids can indulge in flying foxes and long slide, again!

Fun, fun and endless fun…

Address: 115-1 Iso, Urasoe, Okinawa 901-2132, Japan

Blue Seal Ice Park

Blue Seal Ice Cream originates in Okinawa and has now branches all over Japan. Beside selling yummy delicious ice cream and Japanese style crepes, we discovered that it allows visitors to join in ice cream making workshop.

The blue seal ice park is where you can experience making your own original popsicle. It’s a popular tourist destination close to Naha-city.

Beside ice cream making, they also provide soft serve for us.

Address: Japan, 〒901-2300 Okinawa, Nakagami District, Kitanakagusuku, アワセ土地区画整理事業区域内4街区

Orion Happy Park

We don’t fancy beer but it is still a good experience to watch how delicious Orion beer is made at Orion Happy Park.

The tour is free and starts every 20 minutes. We get the chance to enter the beer production site to see the manufacturing process.

Beer tasting is part of the take away.

Address: 2 Chome-2-1 Agarie, Nago, Okinawa 905-0021, Japan

Kokusaidori Yataimura

Kokusaidori Yataimura, otherwise known as Kokusai Street Food Village, is the must-go-to place to taste Okinawa’s authentic dishes.

At our final evening in Naha, we walked down the main shopping street Kokusaidori. The Yatai Mura has a nice atmosphere at night with all the lights and lanterns.

Several food outlets offering not too pricy food selections. Array of kanji characters scrawled across chalkboard signs and restaurant menus.

Kokusai Street paved the way for the revitalization of Naha as a cosmopolitan blend of different cultures and backgrounds.

Any reasons to love Okinawa? We found plenty of them.

Address: 3 Chome-11-16,17 Makishi, Naha, Okinawa 900-0013, Japan

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China, Food, Growing Up, Harbin, Harbin Flood Control Memorial Tower 哈尔滨防洪纪念塔, Harbin Polar Land, Katong Kids Inc, Photography, Siberian Tiger Park, The Idea Box

Harbin Family Travel – What to do in Winter?

August 28, 2019December 18, 2019 katongkidsinc

Our visit to Harbin, the renowned ‘Ice City’, located in the south of Heilongjiang Province. This city is favored with beautiful natural scenery and re-living the fond memories of our stay with little ones.

We tried the northeastern Chinese dish, otherwise known as Tie Guo Dun 铁锅顿 at Zhongyang Pedestian Street.

The ingredients of the stew are simmered to its best in this deep metal pot.

It will take a while but the finished product is rewarding.

Zhongyang Pedestrian Street is about 1.5km long and is always filled with festive atmosphere all year round. This is the main street where tourists would never fail to check off their bucket list.

Harbin means snow, and abundance of it!

Everywhere is considered a playground for the kids!

Street food at its best. Don’t forget to try the red sausage (hong chang), bingtang hulu (fruits on a stick, covered in toffee), and the ice cream which never melt during winter.

The Cathedral of the Holy Wisdom of God or Saint Sophia Cathedral in Harbin is a former Russian Orthodox church located in the central district of Daoli, Harbin City, Heilongjiang, China.

Harbin cuisine..

The average night temperature is -20°C and the kids were just loving it. What a rare opportunity to be soaked in such weather.

We blogged our Harbin trip here.

Harbin 哈尔滨 Travelogue – (Part 1): Holiday Inn Harbin City Centre, Zhongyang Dajie 中央大街, Euro Plaza, Mykal Mall and Saint Sophia Cathedral 圣索菲亚教堂

Harbin 哈尔滨 Travelogue – (Part 2): Jiuzhan Park 九站公园, Stalin Park 斯大林公园, Sun Island (Tai Yang Dao) 太阳岛, Harbin Polar Land, Siberian Tiger Park 哈尔滨东北虎林园, Harbin Flood Control Memorial Tower 哈尔滨防洪纪念塔 and Zhongyang Dajie 中央大街

Harbin 哈尔滨 Travelogue – (Part 3): Russian Town, Harbin 哈尔滨植物園, Ji Le Temple 极乐寺, Confucius Temple 哈尔滨文庙 and Teresa Teng Music Restaurant

Harbin 哈尔滨 Travelogue – (Part 3): Scoot Off to The Wintriest Harbin with Kids!

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Coffee, Food, Growing Up, Ipoh, Ipoh Parade Shopping Centre, Kids Activities, Malaysia, Parenting, Photography, Products, Review, Shopping, The Idea Box, Travel, Travel Blog, Vacation, WEIL Hotel

WEIL Hotel Ipoh – Beautiful Hotel, Memorable Stay

July 16, 2019December 15, 2019 katongkidsinc

It was our first time visiting Ipoh and apart from enjoying everything what this lovely town has to offer, our trip was made even more memorable by the hotel we stayed.

Welcome to the WEIL Hotel, Ipoh.

When it comes to scouting on the best leisure and family accommodation, refreshing swimming pools and delectable food to indulge in, WEIL Hotel could very well be the answer to your travel needs.

Upon arriving at Sultan Azlan Shah Airport after an hour flight, our next destination would typically be the hotel. All thanks to its close proximity to the airport, we hardly had time to warm our seats before realising that we had arrived at the hotel after only less than 10 mins (6km)!

We arrived happily and left happily. There are many reasons why we would return to WEIL Hotel again.

Beautiful Lobby – Where You Find Space to Chill

If our short, magical stay were to mean anything, the best takeaway from this stay would be the warm customer service we experienced. The hotel had it nailed and we felt safe and comfortable the moment we stepped into this place.

The lobby looked very new, spacious and guests would be pleased to see there were many armchairs placed for them to chill.

Superior Suite

The Superior Room comes with a size of between 32 sqm to 39 sqm. “WOW” is the magic word to describe when one enters the superior suite.

The room was equipped with a king-sized bed, a study desk and chair, armoire, safe, and a fine stand for luggage.

With crisp linens and soft pillows, it would not be hard to have a comfortable night’s sleep!

The hotel also provides a smart phone for traveler to use.

I loved the large well-equipped bathroom where large fluffy towels and face cloths were supplied sufficiently.

Ipoh Parade Shopping Centre – Adjoined to WEIL Hotel

Being inter-connected to Ipoh Parade Shopping Centre was a big plus to staying at the WEIL Hotel. During our stay, it was so convenient to dine and shop at the shopping centre at the same time.

With such a big mall, it was inevitable not to eye the all of the shops, kiosks, and food outlets!

Departmental Store – Parkson

Entertainment – Golden Screen Cinema (GSC), K Box Karaoke, Laser Battle

Pharmacy – Watson’s, Guardian, Caring Pharmacy

Apparels & Jewellery – Hush Puppies, Uniqlo, FOS, Voir Gallery, Minoshe, Lazo Diamond, City Time

Books & Stationery – Popular

Food & Beverage – Sushi Tei, Dave’s Deli, Kenny Rogers Roasters, Chicken Rice Shop, Marrybrown, Subway, Starbucks Coffee, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Shihlin Taiwan Street Snack, Kopitiam Avenue, Llaollao

Services – Pahlawan Money Changer, Rosemary Floral & Gift, Imax Internet Cafe

Convenience Store – Qbiz

Grocery Store – Jaya Grocer

Breakfast @ The TIFFIN

TIFFIN offers a relaxed ambience where guests can enjoy breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Known for its popular Nasi Lemak and Roti Canai, it is no surprising that TIFFIN is a favourite among the hotel guests.

A hearty breakfast!

Take a Dip in the Pool!

Where kids would go crazy over this huge infinity pool. Your vacation would not be completed without dipping into the refreshing water.

No matter whether it is day or night, the pool offers beautiful panoramic view of the town of Ipoh.

How about chilling out here in an al fresco dining concept at the Cabana?

The Rooftop Gastro Bar Restaurant

The Deck Gastrobar is a rooftop bar at WEIL Hotel.

Situated at level 13, we can choose al fresco dining or chill out here. On the weekends, this place will come with a live band to keep guests entertained! They have also introduced the Live@The Deck serie, which highlights entertainment by live bands on Thursday & Friday and DJs from KL on Saturdays.

How true is that!

Yuk Sou Hin – A Favorite for Locals & Tourists Alike

We were recommended to the food at Yuk Sou Hin, a pork free Chinese restaurant, where we could also experience the authentic dishes of Ipoh. Their signature Smoked Duck with lychee wood is a must-try dish 🙂

Food lovers, especially Malays who enjoy Chinese food, will definitely love this.

When it comes to a delicious Chinese cuisine and dim sum, Yuk Sou Hin certainly delivers one of the best authentic dishes in Ipoh. We had dim sum breakfast here and these orders relished our mouthful of happiness!

Yoga @ The Lawn

To engage the guests, the hotel also held Community Yoga Session at its rooftop area – The Lawn.

The busyness of life can cause a ton of anxiety and take a toll on your health, and yoga can be the perfect workout for loosening up and destressing. The participants were up here early in the morning working out and practicing their moves.

Nearby Attractions

An accommodation like no other, WEIL Hotel is located close to many attractions which you can read in Ipoh Travelogue here.

Concubine Lane, where we experience the charm of Ipoh old town.

Kong Heng Square, where hipster cafes and boutique shops gave modern trendy feel to the surroundings.

Tong Sui Kai (Dessert Street), where it becomes one of the most happening places in Ipoh when the sun sets.

Memory Lane, where it is the best place to go to for rare and secondhand items at reasonable prices.

Kelle’s Castle, where it offers one of the most instagram-worthy spots in Ipoh!

The next time you’re in Ipoh, be sure that WEIL Hotel will make your stay memorable in every possible ways!

WEIL Hotel

Website / Bookings: http://www.weilhotel.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/weilhotel/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weilhotel/

Just simple travel. Click here to follow Katong Kids Inc Facebook Page to stay tune on the next travel post.

Coffee, Concubine Lane, Eat, Education, Food, Ipoh, Malaysia, The Idea Box, Thean Chun, Vacation

Ipoh Travelogue – (Part 4): Coffeeshops, Street Food and Sights

July 13, 2019December 16, 2019 katongkidsinc

Walking around Ipoh and can’t help but fall in love with these buildings and street scene. Nevermind about some of the charming but yet crumbling architecture; they only seemed to add to the allure.

Kedai Kopi Sin Yoon Loong, a name synonymous among the locals, where a cup of white coffee and wanton mee would fill your soul. Located next to it is Kedai Kopi Sun Yuan Foong which offers one of the best chee cheong fun in town.

Many came and testified that Restoran Ipoh Kong Heng 怡保光興茶室 serves one of the best popiah, Kai si Hor fun and egg custard in town.

It is common to find Thean Chun being packed with customers throughout the day. From shredded chicken meat with hor fun, thick beans sprouts, caramel custard to chee cheong fun, everyone will be spoiled for choices.

Touted as one of the top 10 must-try confectionery shops in Ipoh, Biskut Lam Fong 南方饼家 freshly served Tambon cake, horseshoe cake, salty danwei, pork lotus cake, glutinous rice cake, and other varieties of biscuits.

A traditional convenience store still plying its trade in the wake of online shopping.

Located next to Concubine Lane is the 90’s Classic, a local barbershop!

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Asia, Birch Memorial Clock Tower, Car, Diary of a Foodster, Eat, Food, Gerbang Malam, Ipoh, Katong Kids Inc, Kek Lok Tong Cave Temple, Kellie's Castle, Kids Activities, Malaysia, Memory Lane Flea Market, Perak Guan Yin Tong, Photography, Restoran Sun Yeong Wai, Shopping, Sin Eng Heong Kedai Biskut, The Idea Box, Travel, Vacation, WEIL Hotel

Ipoh Travelogue – (Part 2): Railway Station, Birch Memorial Clock Tower, Memory Lane Flea Market, Perak Guan Yin Tong, Kellie Castle, Kek Lok Tong Cave Temple, Restoran Sun Yeong Wai, Sin Eng Heong Kedai Biskut and Gerbang Malam

June 27, 2019January 16, 2020 katongkidsinc

Why you should visit Ipoh? When I arrived at the small-sized Sultan Azlan Shah Airport, I had the impression that Ipoh had nothing much to offer. But dwell in this lovely town and I realised this is one of the most rewarding destinations in Malaysia.

With diversified of attractions and things to explore, you will find no lack of Ipoh Apartments to book via Traveloka.

Come Day 2, I woke up to the beautiful and scenic view of the city and mountains from the WEIL Hotel. We had our itinerary planned and wasted no time to get to where we need.

Ipoh Railway Station

Most of the attractions are located in close proximity to each other, so travelling is easy. We hopped into our rented car and made our way to one of the historial landmarks – Ipoh Railway Station. Did we mention that it is just 3.5km away from the iconic WEIL Hotel?

Ipoh’s railway station was completed in 1917 under the British colonial administration. Along with the Old Railway Station in Kuala Lumpur, it is one of the most beautiful examples of colonial architecture.

The War Memorial right in front of the Ipoh Railway Station to honour the prisoners-of-war (POWs) who died building the Thailand-Burma death railway.

This railway station was once featured in the Hollywood film, Anna and the King, starring Jodie Foster and Hong Kong superstar Chow Yun Fat.

If not for this visit, I would not know that this grand old building houses the railway station and the now closed Majestic Station Hotel Ipoh which had up to 100 well-appointed guestrooms!

The Ipoh Railway Station served by the new, fast, KTM Electric Train Services (ETS). All passenger train services to/from Ipoh are on the new KTM Electric Train Services (there are no KTM Komuter trains from Ipoh).

Most ETS services run on the KL Sentral Railway Station, Kuala Lumpur to Ipoh route. Click here for the ETS timetable from Ipoh to KL.

The building seemed dated and affected probably by lack of proper maintenance but it is still worth a visit when you come to Ipoh.

Address:

Stesen KTM Ipoh, 30000 Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia

Birch Memorial Clock Tower

The Birch Memorial Clock Tower (Malay: Menara Jam Peringatan Birch) is a clock tower situated in Ipoh, Kinta District, Perak, Malaysia.

Unveiled in 1909, the clock tower was constructed to commenorate James W. W. Birch, the first British Resident of the state of Perak.

The clock tower has been overlooked by many tourists who prefer to flock to touristy attractions. On closer look, it is well preserved and I feel it is necessary to visit this place and understand the cultural heritage of British colonialism.

Address:

Jalan Dato Sagor, Ipoh 30000, Malaysia

Memory Lane Flea Market

I reckoned many of you may not consider visiting a flea market, giving the excuses of sweltering weather and old and filthy goods.

I do not agree.

As we approached Jalan Horley, we just couldn’t help but thankful to have the opportunity to travel and mingle with the locals.

Open every Sunday morning, it is known as “Memory Lane” or fondly referred to as “Loken” or “Pasar Karat” (rustic market) by the locals.

A stall selling cold drinks, a perfect respite from the blazing sun!

Located in Jalan Horley, it is the place to go to for rare and secondhand items at reasonable prices.

While the folks are working hard for better days, the kids enjoying themselves at the back of the car.

Yes, we remembered these old school, childlike games that will not break the bank.

Cute tote bags with different themes and designs going at RM10 each.

What a place for collectors to purchase rare stamps dating as far back to Straits Settlements period. An interesting visit to Memory Lane for us. We could find many second hands and used items that we thought were well extinct. Definitely the place to visit on a Sunday morning to trigger memories of the old days.

Address:

Jalan Horley, Kampung Jawa, 30300 Ipoh, Negeri Perak, Malaysia

Perak Guan Yin Tong

On our way to Kellie’s Castle, we chanced upon Perak Guan Yin Tong.

Built beside a limestone hill, this ancient Buddhist temple honors goddess of mercy Kwan Yin Tong. This would be a place for believers to visit.

And kids could entertain themselves feeding the ever hungry fishes.

Address:

Lot 3851, Sungai Pinang Besar, Pangkor, Perak

Kellie’s Castle

We drove a little further up and arrived at Kellie’s Castle.

Kellie’s Castle is a castle located in Batu Gajah, Kinta District, Perak, Malaysia. While it may look complete on the outside, the ruined mansion was unfinished on the inside.

It was built by a Scottish planter named William Kellie-Smith either a gift for his wife or a home for his son. Work on the castle started in 1915, but was unfortunately halted a few years later with Kellie’s sudden death and the castle was never completed.

Nevermind about the hot and humid weather. Kellie’s Castle is one of the most Instagram worthy spots in Ipoh.

It was an interesting experience exploring the castle’s hidden rooms. Be prepared to climb flights of narrow stairs to reach the top where you could get a panoramic view of the plantation and castle ruins.

Opening Hours : 9.00am – 6.00pm
Admission Fee :
* RM 5 (foreigner)
* RM 4 (adult)
* RM 3 (secondary school students)
* RM 2 (primary school students)
* FREE (child aged six and below)
Address:
31000 Batu Gajah, Perak, Malaysia

Kek Lok Tong Cave Temple

The Kek Lok Tong Cave Temple is a tourist attraction situated in the natural and picturesque area of Gunung Rapat in the south of Ipoh – the capital of Perak state in west Malaysia.

We heard so much about Ipoh being famous for its limestone hills and we could finally see it right in front of us!

Confucius was a Chinese philosopher and politician of the Spring and Autumn period. It was believed that one would get smarter praying to Confucius. What do you think?

Although there is a lot of marble tiling, there are still lots of natural large statactites.

This place features golden statues of Buddhist and Chinese mythological deities.

Take a walk here to experience the calming ambience of this lovely cave.

Address:
Pesiaran Sepakat 3, Tmn Endah Jaya, 31350 Ipoh, Negeri Perak, Malaysia

Restoran Sun Yeong Wai Roasted Duck Ipoh 新扬威烧鸭饭店

We love roasted duck and if we were ever to visit Ipoh again, we are 1000% sure to visit Restoran Sun Yeong Wai again!

Passed down from father to son and established in Ipoh for more than twenty years, Sun Yeong Wai is now a brand closely synonymous with Roasted Ducks, barbeque and roasted dishes.

Yummy!

Address:

63, Jalan Mustapha Al-Bakri, 30300 Ipoh Perak

Sin Eng Heong Kedai Biskut

While we were dining, we wondered what was happening behind us.

Started in 1961, Sin Eng Heong is one of the oldest biscuit shop in Ipoh.

Sin Eng Heong Kedai Biskut was attracting a long long queue of customers despite the overwhelming heat. They have the best kaya puff in town, so popular that you have to be prepared to queue up to 2 hours.

We got into the queue while the family was still eating. Impatience got the better of us and we walked out after 45 mins.

Address:

64 & 66 Jalan Mustapha Al-Bakri, Ipoh 30300, Malaysia

Gerbang Malam

Come the night, I took a walk down Gerbang Malam. While the pasar malam was smaller as compared to Memory Lane, there was a food street at the other end.

It was nice walking down the street looking at the stalls and cheap products.

Where cables were going for as cheap as RM1 each.

The salted-baked chicken is one of Ipoh’s most famous delicacies. The chicken is marinated with ginger, rice wine, and other Chinese herbs such as female ginseng and wolfberries, then it is wrapped in paper and baked with salt.

Many visitors come to Ipoh to taste none other than their kai see hor fun, consisting of super smooth flat rice noodles (kuey teow) produced in Ipoh, shredded/sliced poached chicken, chopped spring onions, boiled shrimps, and garnished with chopped red chillies.

Another version..

They produced tasty chicken and bean sprouts. A must-try dish in Ipoh!

All these for RM21!

So what to do in Ipoh? Simple travel and eat is the way to go 🙂

Address:

Jalan Dato Tahwil Azar, Taman Jubilee, 30300 Ipoh, Negeri Perak, Malaysia

Click here for Ipoh Travelogue (Part I) – WEIL Hotel, Concubine Lane, Ipoh Booth Cart, Thean Chun Coffee Shop (天津茶室), Kong Heng Square, Burps and Giggles, Yum Cha Tea Bar and Tong Sui Kai 糖水街

Just simple travel. Click here to follow Katong Kids Inc Facebook Page to stay tune on the next travel post.