Facebook And Microsoft Are Building A Trans-Atlantic Data Cable

Facebook and Microsoft have announced plans to build a new undersea data cable that connects North America and Europe. Called MAREA, the cable is intended to accelerate the growth of next generation internet infrastructure, and also support the increasing demand from data coming from that side of the world.

MAREA will be the highest capacity data cable connecting the two side of the Atlantic when it is completed in late 2017. The announcement says that it has an estimate capacity of 160 Tbps across eight pairs of fibre. The cable will also be set further south than existing data cables, which according to the companies will provide it with added resilience and reliability.

“In order to better serve our customers and provide the type of reliable and low-latency connectivity they deserve, we are continuing to invest in new and innovative ways to continuously upgrade both the Microsoft Cloud and the global Internet infrastructure,” said Frank Rey, director, global network acquisition, Microsoft Corp. “This marks an important new step in building the next generation infrastructure of the Internet.”

The agreement between Microsoft and Facebook will see Spanish telecommunications firm Telxius operate the cables once they are completed. Telxius is a new company from Spanish telco Telefónica and specialises in telecommunications and infrastructure.

Construction of the trans-Atlantic connection is expected to begin in August of this year, and should be completed in 2017. The cable itself will be anchored at Virginia beach in the US and Bilbao in Spain.

[Source: PRnewswire, Microsoft]

TSUBOHACHI IZAKAYA-HOKKAIDO (SNOW CRAB MENU) @ PUBLIKA

For an Izakaya, Tsubohachi is alright in my book. One thing I feel they did right is maintaining the food prices affordable enough for frequent visits. They recently introduced a new, limited time only menu called Crab of Tsubohachi which features imported Snow Crab prepared in various Japanese styles.
Just to be clear, I was invited to try the snow crab dishes which were offered complimentary on the house while the rest of the dishes were self-paid.

Even though the Broiled Snow Crab (Aburi Zuwaigani) @ RM58 comes only in half a crab, it still packs a good amount of enjoyable flesh especially in the legs. It tasted more salty than sweet accompanied by a whiff of grilled sea salt. The freshness is commendable, as the flesh is moist and flaky.

Snow Crab Steam Egg (Kani Chawan Mushi) @ RM12.90 was delicious. The steamed egg itself already had the exact texture and flavor that I personally like, so the topping of snow crab flesh was just the icing on the cake.

Like the Chawan Mushi, the Japanese style fried rice infused with thickened crab meat sauce(Ankake Kani Chihan) @ RM22.90 was also extra delicious because of the addition of crab meat. The fried rice was executed reasonably well enough so all of us enjoyed this dish.

But among all the crab related dishes we had that night, the Snow Crab with Vegetable Hot Pot(Zuwaigani Nabe) @ RM79.90 has got to be the best one thanks to its incredibly tasty clear soup. The crab meat fared better in this dish too, as you can appreciate the sweet and delicate flavor better.

And here’s some other dishes we tried from their normal a la carte menu. Deep Fried River Shrimp @ RM14.90. Looks good, crispy and savory – perfect to go with icy beer.

A dining companion who had been here before swears by the Potato Mentaiko Yaki @ RM9.90 so I had to give it a try. Unfortunately it arrived with less than expected cheese – I know because I compared it with the photos uploaded in other people’s blogs. Nonetheless, it was still good – just that it really needed more cheese for that satisfying gooeyness.

For RM15.90, I can’t really recommend the Steamed Clam with Sake because of its small portion. It’s not bad though, but you are probably better off ordering something which is more worthy of the price tag.

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Other more worthy stuff include the Grilled Salmon Belly @ RM21.50 and Grilled Scallop with Butter & Soy Sauce @ RM9.90 (comes in 2 pieces). Both of them are equally delectable and well cooked.

The Crab of Tsubohachi menu will be available for about another 2 months. For those who wish to indulge in a feast of snow crabs cooked in different ways (I only shown like a quarter of the full menu) then better make your way soon.
Even if you are not a fan of crab, their other dishes are decent enough to warrant at least a try. Personally, I feel the food here is slightly better than the other Izakaya in Publika, which I shall not name.

TSUBOHACHI IZAKAYA-HOKKAIDO

A2-UG1-9 Publika Solaris Dutamas
50480 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-6206 5526
Business hours: 10.30am – 1am

SAN CHING SAN HOKKIEN MEE 新青山福建面茶餐室 @ KEPONG

Compared to PJ and the rest of KL, restaurants specializing in Hokkien Mee are few and far between in Kepong – especially the good ones.
After going around town trying Hokkien Mee at different places, we finally found one that’s worthy of a mention which is San Ching San. The restaurant is located behind AEON Big along the row of shops notorious for vice activities.

One thing to note is that the noodles here are fried by foreign workers. That being said, San Ching San’s Hokkien Mee is still decent enough, at least for me.
In terms of ‘wok hei’ which is inarguably the most important quality, it’s definitely sufficient to satisfy. The only weakness we found in it is that it was a tad under-seasoned, but fixable simply by adding a dash of soya sauce. RM16 for 2 pax portion.

The sambal chili is unexpected delicious and caught us by surprise. It had a great appetizing flavor that I can’t put my hands on and we could not help adding it to each spoonful.
When we tasted the Hokkien Mee on its own, we felt it was just OK. But with sambal chili, it became better tasting immediately. No wonder it’s the soul of this dish.

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And of course San Ching San wouldn’t be able to survive by having only fried noodles on their menu. They also serve a handful of side dishes and snacks that would go well with the noodles such as lala, chicken wings, fried pork and dumplings.
The lala is available in stir fry or steamed with ginger, chilies and Chinese Wine. We opted for the latter (RM22) because it is advertised as their signature cooking style. It was delicious alright since the clams were fresh and clean, so having them steamed was the correct choice.

Impressed by the clams, we were more convinced to get another dish to try. A pair of crispy Nam Yu fried chicken wings is priced at RM6.80 and it did not disappoint either. Recommended to try.

I have to say, although the meal started off somewhat weak, the experience improved as we progressed with our meal and it turned out to be a pretty good dinner.
Lastly, if you are a hardcore lard lover, you might want to ask for more because it’s used quite sparingly here. Like I said, only if you really love those crunchy things.

SAN CHING SAN HOKKIEN MEE 新青山福建面茶餐室

No.29, Jalan Metro Perdana Timur 3
Taman Usahawan Kepong, 52200
Tel: 012-2021 335

BABI GULING PAK DOBIEL @ NUSA DUA, BALI

Most people who had been to Bali will tell you that Babi Guling (roasted suckling pig over coconut husk fire) is a must try local delicacy. Unless your diet is restricted by health, religion or personal beliefs, there is simply no excuse to miss eating Babi Guling in Bali. Else, the your trip is in vain. It’s almost like going visiting Penang and not eating Char Koay Teow!
But of course, as always there are also non-believers who swear off this dish because they felt it fell way off their expectations. Well, I can only say that they had been eating at the wrong places.

Anyway, if you Google around you will see that Ibu Oka at Ubud is most famous thanks to Anthony Bourdain’s endorsement. To be honest I would have eaten at Ibu Oka as well if I did not ask for a second opinion on the social network. A friend who had been to Bali before responded and directed me to Pak Dobiel at Nusa Dua instead.
But just so you know, even though I felt Pak Dobiel’s Babi Guling is tasty enough to be recommended, my Balinese tour guide in his on words commented that it was “parah sekali” if compared to the best one he had. So, don’t take my recommendation as a foreigner too seriously, as it is only good as a last-ditch resort.

That being said, Babi Guling is usually eaten with rice and the toppings could be served together or separately from the rice however the seller wants. Crispy pork skin, pork slices, sambal, pork liver and lawar (mixed vegetables with herbs and spices) are always present while some places also includes pork sate. A normal serving with Jukut Ares (a type of soup prepared using young banana stem and ribs) cost Rp35,000 (about RM11) which is a pretty standard price for Babi Guling in Bali.

Although a far cry from the best from a Balinese’s point of view, I thought the Babi Guling rice here is quite tasty while the soup was forgettable. The marinated meat is tender and flavorful without any gamey taste while the sambal is well concocted to add a spicy kick – not bad at all for my first introduction to this dish, at least I left a happy tourist.

Warung Babi Guling Sari Dewi Bp. Dobiel
Jl. Srikandi No. 9, Nusa Dua

DIM SUM @ HEE LAI TON RESTAURANT (PUDU), SHAW PARADE

This was actually my 3rd attempt to have dim sum at Hee Lai Ton (Pudu) restaurant. The first time we were here, the restaurant was closed temporarily for renovation which was why we went to The Ming Room instead.
In the following visit we came slightly too late and they were already out of dim sum. So this time, I made sure we arrived early to avoid another disappointment.

Even though Shaw Parade looks like an abandoned mall from inside out, you’d be surprised by the amount of diners at Hee Lai Ton. It’s almost as though everyone who walks into the dead mall is here for the dim sum. So that says a lot about their popularity.
While the restaurant might excel in their food department, the same couldn’t be said for their service. Pudu’s Hee Lai Ton is notorious for its horrendous service especially during weekends and public holidays.

For a normal Chinese restaurant, I’d rate the Char Siew here as excellent and all of us enjoyed it. The moment the char siew arrived we knew it was going to be good by looking at the glistening glaze of coating on it.
It’s so well marinated that you don’t need any additional sauce to further flavor it. Not to mention it had the right amount of crispy caramelized marinade too. Those bits provided the sweetest and most concentrated flavor, simply sinfully delicious. RM25 for a small portion, enough to be shared among three pax.

My only gripe was that the cut we got was too lean (still tender though), if it had more fats then it should taste considerably better. I am not sure if you could actually specify your preferred cut for the char siew since it’s not an option in the menu, but I reckon there’s no harm trying to ask – just make sure you ask the ask a helpful staff instead of the grumpy ones.

Unfortunately everything from here onwards started to go downhill, slowly but surely. Siew Mai @ RM8.50 was not bad but nothing exception either. I felt it was a tad underseasoned and could use more prawns in each piece.

Steamed Spare Ribs @ RM8.50 is good. At least it’s meatier than what Ming Room offers and the overall flavor is not too salty compared to the others in town.

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Baked BBQ Pork Puff @ RM7 is a personal favorite that I never miss ordering at every dim sum restaurant. Hee Lai Ton makes it slightly more special by adding walnuts on top of the puffs lending it a crispy texture as well. Overall, somewhat enjoyable but far from the best I’ve had.

The Celery & Garlic Dumpling @ RM8 looked promising but as soon as we tried to lift it from the basket, the skin broke. A pity because the fililng was actually quite tasty.

Steamed Meat Balls with Diced Water Chestnut @ RM8 – normal stuff.

Spinach Chee Cheong Fun with Prawns @ RM8 – great tasting superior sauce but the amount of prawns in each roll is miserably little.

Loh Mai Kai @ RM7.50 – moist, sticky and savory. The chicken had a strong ginger taste which could be a turn off for some.

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In total, we spent close to RM99 for this meal which I feel is still reasonable considering it’s the same price we paid at the Ming Room. However, this time there were the three of us instead of the usual two.
Lastly, if you are not the patient type, you should seriously think twice before eating here. Either you reach here freaking early before the crowd swells, or prepare to loiter. For your information, our dim sum arrived 30 minutes and an hour apart.
Due to that we spent more than two hours at the restaurant, with more than half of the time just waiting. Come to think of it, the reason the restaurant is so packed is because most of them are still waiting for their food so they are not ready to leave!

HEE LAI TON RESTAURANT (PUDU)

3rd Floor, Shaw Parade
Jalan Changkat Thambi Dollah, Off Jalan Pudu
55100 KL
Tel: 03-2148 8666

KOLO MEE & SARAWAK LAKSA @ 7TH MILE KITCHEN 七哩香

7th Mile Kitchen could very bell the most Sarawakian eatery in the entire Klang Valley. They serve quite a number of Sarawakian hawker food such as Kolo Mee, Sarawak Laksa and even Tomato Koay Teow. It’s a popular place to eat so getting a table here is tricky especially in the weekends.

The Kolo Mee here has been slightly adapted to suit KLites’ taste but the core recipe and flavors remain pretty much the same. The homemade egg noodles were not as springy as I’d have liked but you can’t please everyone, as others may prefer the way it is now.

I am not going to compare 7th Mile’s Sarawak Laksa to those you can find in the Land of Hornbill because it wouldn’t be fair comparison. So instead, I am going to compare it to the best one I have had in KL.
Although this pales in flavor, it’s still considered not bad and should be satisfying enough to for a quick fix. Another better (in my opinion) Sarawak Laksa I’d recommend can be found at Dapur Sarawak.

Besides the usual coffee shop drinks, you will also find a handful of of beverages and desserts popular in Sarawak. I regretted ordering the ‘teh c peng’ as it tasted watered down. ‘White Lady’ should be a better choice and I urge you not to repeat my mistake.

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7TH MILE KITCHEN 七哩香

RG 24, Pangsapuri Kelana Sentral
47301 Kelana Jaya, PJ
Tel: 016-228 3832
Business hours: 7am – 2.30pm (Closed on Mondays)

JAMES BOND CHAR KOAY TEOW @ RESTORAN WDS, SS2

James Bond is in PJ and he’s undercovering as a Char Koay Teow seller! You can find him at WDS coffee shop next to Kayu Nasi Kandar in Chow Yang SS2, which was previously known as Ho Ho Sek. After the new owner took over, the coffee shop underwent a minor renovation and there’s an air-conditioned eating section now.

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But unlike the British Secret Service agent who keeps his identity a secret, SS2’s James Bond proudly wears a name tag on his uniform. If you’re wondering that’s actually just a nickname he gave himself as a marketing strategy. In fact, his nickname was the main reason that drew me to eat his CKT, so it’s effective alright.

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On a serious note, his CKT is pretty good and tastes like a cross between Penang and KL style. The only weakness I could find in his noodles is that it could have more ‘wok hei’. That being said, it doesn’t take away the fact that it was aromatic and delicious enough to be enjoyable.
By default, the noodles does not come with the sunny side up, but I’d recommend you ask for it (RM7 in total) because James Bond uses duck eggs in his CKT. You could tell by the color of the egg yolk, it’s more orange and has a creamier texture compared to chicken eggs.

Another quality I like about his CKT is that he’s unstinting with the goodies, as you get 4 satisfyingly large and succulent prawns and a good handful of perfectly cooked cockles.
Depending on your luck, sometimes James Bond’s helper would be frying the noodles instead. In that case, the noodle might not be as good as it could have been.

JAMES BOND CHAR KOAY TEOW

Restoran WDS, Jalan SS 2/6
47300 Petaling Jaya, Selangor
Business hours: 7.30am – 2.30pm, 6pm – 11pm daily