Category Archives: Andy’s Travelogue

Amazing Kilt Rock and Mealt Falls, and Lealt Falls on 11Jun2017 (Day 3 Fort Williams/Isle of Skye Trip 9-14Jun2017)

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going to kilt rock & lealt falls

after a good break relishing great oysters & lobster at oyster shed, 

and it was still raining, we decided to just go to our next hotel, skeabost hotel, and checked in.

weather was unpredictable. we rested in the room for 1hr+. then we drove to kilt rocks & mealt falls.

old man of storr in the distance

old man of storr in the distance

old man of storr in the distance

old man of storr in the distance

old man of storr in the distance

old man of storr in the distance

it was a nice coastal drive.

the road runs along the coast on the right,

and the spectacular ridge of hills called trotternish ridge runs over 30km on the left.

we had a good if misty view of old man of storr from a distance. there was still a bit of drizzle.

nice rock formations

nice rock formations

there were nice rock formations nearer to kilt rock & mealt falls.

kilt rock & mealt falls

kilt rock & mealt falls was a spectacular sight, the mealt falls fed by the waters from loch mealt, plummets 55m down the cliffs of kilt rock into the atlantic ocean! 

kilt rock & mealt falls

we parked at kilt rock.

it was cold outside, and still a slight drizzle.

kilt rock & mealt falls

kilt rock & mealt falls

we walked a short distance & took some photos of the craggy coastline to the south.

kilt rock & mealt falls

kilt rock & mealt falls

kilt rock & mealt falls

& returned to our car after taking some more photos of kilt rock & mealt falls and the craggy coastline to the north.

lealt falls

we drove southwards on the return route & stopped at lealt falls.

lealt falls

we parked at the small carpark where lealt gorge is located.

lealt falls

lealt falls

lealt falls

we walked to the first viewpoint which looked over the gorge & lealt falls on its way down the gorge to the bottom 90m below.

lealt falls

lealt falls

lealt falls

we walked further down to another viewing platform that looked over the cliff and the sea.

lealt falls

lealt falls

lealt falls

lealt falls

lealt falls

it was cold & windy there was still a slight drizzle.

we could not wait out for better weather. the views were amazing, and it was invigorating walking the outdoors & looking over the gorge, cliffs and sea. the evening drive was well worth it. ^^

we made the return journey to portree, a tiny picturesque hamlet along the coast.

c.h.e.f andy

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Kilt Rock & Mealt Falls

Location:

52 A855, Portree IV51 9JE, UK

 

Lealt Falls

Location:

Skye, East Kilbride, Glasgow G74 2BX, UK

Very Fresh Oysters and 1/2 Lobster @ The Oyster Shed Isles of Skye on 11Jun2017 (Day 3 Fort Williams/Isle of Skye Trip 9-14Jun2017)

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freshly shucked oysters – 6 for £6

as we were driving by loch harport on the way to fairy pools @ glenbrittle on 11.6.2017,

we saw a sign pointing to the oyster shed…we thought “that’s our next stop”…

as it was, after leaving fairy pools, it started to rain, and quite heavily, so we might as well have a rest stop…

the sign led us past talisker distillery, and shortly the oyster shed.

we did not see many cars on the road, but evidently they all had the same idea, and the small carpark was literally full as we parked.

a short dash in the rain to the shed!

we ordered the freshly shucked oysters – 6 for £6. it was good – fresh, sweet, no  lingering metallic taste. we ordered a second serving.

half lobster = £8

we were also attracted to the chilled 1/2 lobster.

generally we are not so attracted the this preparation of chilled lobster, crab or seafood platter as they are usually quite tasteless.

half lobster = £8

this 1/2 lobster though was sweet, juicy, tasty.

grilled scallopsr = £6.50

it was still raining and very cold, so we decided to order the grilled scallops, 4 for £6.50. it came with the thai sweet chilli dip (like the lobster also), a lettuce & couple triangular toast.

scallops not great as we expected, still passable.

rested & quite satisfied, we got back to our car in the rain, and drove to our next hotel, skeabost hotel & checked in.

c.h.e.f andy

+++++++++++++++++++++++

The Oyster Shed
Address:
Carbost Beag, Isle of Skye IV47 8SE, UK
Contact:
+44 7762 436913
Opening Hours:
daily
  • 11AM–5:30PM

 

Awesome Fairy Pools @ Glen Brittle on 11Jun2017 (Day 3 Fort Williams/Isle of Skye Trip 9-14Jun2017)

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this is fair pools @ glen brittle! simply awesome! ^^

11jun2017 itinerary – fairy pools, glenbrittle beach, oyster shed, skeabost hotel

after a good breakfast at duisdale house hotel,

we drove 55mins to fairy pools on 11.6.2017. ^^

Fairy pools @ glenbrittle

Fairy pools @ glenbrittle

open country & awesome views greeted us. 🙂

carpark Fairy pools @ glenbrittle

we were early & found parking.

road & carpark @ Fairy pools glenbrittle

when we returned to the carpark, the latecomers parked alongside the road. 🙂

long & windy road to Fairy pools @ glenbrittle

weather was cold, maybe 12degC, felt colder!

long & windy road to Fairy pools @ glenbrittle

long & windy road to Fairy pools @ glenbrittle

long & windy road to Fairy pools @ glenbrittle

long & windy road to Fairy pools @ glenbrittle

a very pleasant walk i must say.

nice sky, great open country. would have been even better with the sun. can’t have everything. it was at least not raining, a short space/period of dry weather.

Fairy pools @ glenbrittle

Fairy pools @ glenbrittle

Fairy pools @ glenbrittle

there was a little brook or stream to cross over. we stepped on the boulders. 🙂

Fairy pools @ glenbrittle

Fairy pools @ glenbrittle

Fairy pools @ glenbrittle

fairy pools is sprawling, no really large falls, but pleasant place to just stroll along & even picnic, though we did not want to sit down & block the views & vantage points of others & photo shoots.

Fairy pools @ glenbrittle

Fairy pools @ glenbrittle

there is the taller fall & deeper pool at the start.

Fairy pools @ glenbrittle

Fairy pools @ glenbrittle

Fairy pools @ glenbrittle

& the natural arch further up.

on the way down we found a quiet spot, sat down on the boulders and drank some hot coffee from our useful hot flask tumbler, and took some snicker bar & shortcakes.

it was a really fun morning walk & we were blessed (not long) with dry weather. we saw a sign “oyster shed” earlier on our way to fair pools, so we went to look for and found it on our way back. ^^

glenbrittle beach 

we drove further down the road to glenbrittle black beach at loch brittle.

glenbrittle beach 

a short 10mins drive. we parked & a 1/2hr walk.

wife had a slight accident & cut her fingers opening the swing gates to keep out the livestock.

glenbrittle beach

glenbrittle beach 

it’s a dark sandy beach situated at the head of Loch Brittle and at the base of the Cuillin, Loch Brittle Beach is a truly Scottish destination.

glenbrittle beach 

the ground was littered with loads of sheep droppings.

a drizzle started, so we turned around & walked back to the car, and drove to the oyster shed for a rest stop & something to eat. 🙂

c.h.e.f andy

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Fair Pools @ Glen Brittle

Location:

Glenbrittle, Isle of Skye IV47 8TA, UK
Contact:

Good Breakfast @ Duisdale House Hotel Isle of Skye on 11Jun2017 (Day 3 Fort Williams/Isle of Skye Trip 9-14Jun2017)

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breakfast @ duisdale house hotel

we had a good breakfast the next morning on 11.6.2017. ^^

though not as good as breakfast at gantocks, a fraction of the price!

duisdale is a nice luxury boutique hotel of course. nice room, nice view etc.

the wifi totally sucks, but that seems to be the general case all hotels & B&B during our stay in isle of skye with the exception of UIG lodge.

for me i think the tariff for a night stay with dinner & breakfast is quite ridiculous at £428!

breakfast @ duisdale house hotel

anyhow, since we already booked & paid, might as well enjoyed it!

for breakfast, we both picked fresh fruit salad. & the toast & juice came. service was ok,

but be it food or service, they were just nothing like what we had at the gantocks (at <<< than 1/2 the  price)!

given a choice i would NOT stay here….

full scottish breakfast

the full scottish breakfast was wholly competent,

but then again, just looking at the photos of the breakfast at gantocks & here at duisdale (& even the plating & presentation), it is quite evident the gantocks is better la… 🙂

loch fyne kippers

the kippers was a large serving, and wife liked it.

it was not too salty, and nicely flavourful smoking. among the better kippers i had. very well done.

after breakfast we checked out. we had already decided on our itinerary – the first visit was to fairy pools at glenbrittle. 🙂

c.h.e.f andy

Very Good £55 5-course Dinner at Duisdale Restaurant Isles of Skye on 10Jun2017 (Day 2 Fort Williams/Isle of Skye Trip 9-14Jun2017)

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starters – amuse bouche

our stay package at duisdale house hotel included a £55 5-course dinner at duisdale restaurant on 10.6.2017. ^^

duisdale restaurant 2 AA rosette, so ok place…5-course dinner price looked ok too depending on the quality of food…that turned out to be very good!

the b&b stay though was ridiculously expensive but the alternatives are equally expensive in this sleat peninsula location..there is no need to stay here though as a lot of cheap b&b in isles of skye eg broadford near the straits…

starters – amuse bouche

the amuse bouche of salmon bruschetta, a croquette & a beetroot foam was quite good.

bread & brioche

bread was nice, but nothing great…

#1 beetroot ensemble

the beetroot ensemble was fantastic, very exciting!

quite special, all differnt texture from crisp to a mousse & very tasty! all the different presentation of beetroot.

#1 beetroot ensemble

since jaan days i have never had such a great beetroot dish!

#2 pan seared scallops

scallop was excellent…very good standard…

#2 pan seared scallops

of course i have taken good pan seared scallops in many places, but this was still very good. & very large scallops too. a great side of asparagus…

#3 pigeon breast

pigeon breast was good too. tender, probably sous vide, and sweet.

#3 pigeon breast

again a very good standard!

#4 halibut was excellent

& i loved the halibut!

#4 halibut was excellent

halibut is among the top quality fish, and this was a good preparation.

fish texture was firm, nicely seared, sweet & tasty, and good vegetable sides.

#4 sous vide duck breast

the other choice of main was duck breast.

#4 sous vide duck breast

it was very well done.

seems odd to have pigeon as appetiser & duck breast as main. anyhow, duck was very tender & flavourful.

#4 sous vide duck breast

the fat did not feel oily & gave the meat a very smooth and flavourful taste.

#5 dessert

#5 dessert

dessert was less our thing.

can’t really recall now..this one looks like some fig, ice crea, and perhaps a mousee.

though presentation was great, the overall experience was a nice ok dessert. nothing special..

#6 dessert 

this one looks like some strawberry, terrine & ice cream.

#6 dessert

both dessert were competent.

for  £55, i would consider this 5-course dinner very good standard, and very enjoyable & worthwhile dinner.

terrace outside restaurant

the service was a little less so.

we came for the later session at 8pm, and though we have booked the table & time & obviously we had prepaid for the dinner at the time of booking, we were taken to an inner table in a small hall with poor ambience. fortunately some diners vacated & we were able to get a good table by the window looking out to the terrace. still bright at 8.15pm

c.h.e.f andy

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

duisdale restaurant

address:
A851, Isleornsay, Isle of Skye IV43 8QW, UK
contact:
+44 1471 833202

Duisdale House Hotel & Elgol on 10Jun2017 (Day 2 Fort Williams/Isle of Skye Trip 9-14Jun2017)

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duisdale house hotel

after the iconic dornie (eilean donan) castle,

we drove some 35mins to duisdale house hotel at sleat pennsula.

duisdale house hotel

duisdale is a luxury boutique hotel. can see from the cars parked!

if anything the price is certainly luxury! lol!

of course it is a nice stone building built as a hunting lodge in 1865. 

& they do have a 2 AA Rosette restaurant at the duisdale.

lawn @ duisdale house hotel

there was a well-kept lawn.

view from duisdale house hotel room

& a nice view of loch hourn from our hotel room window. 🙂

duisdale hotel room

duisdale hotel room

a huge spacious bedroom.

duisdale room toilet

with an oversized toilet.

still the £428 tariff , even including 2x£55 dinner in the pacakage, was still really, really steep.

i will come to dinner here, don’t think i will stay here anytime soon…lol! 🙂

beach further down from duisdal house hotel

just down a short track from the hotel is the beach.

beach further down from duisdal house hotel

beach further down from duisdal house hotel

beach further down from duisdal house hotel

a nice serene place for a stroll.

the sun set at 9pm. we had a bit of time before the evening 8pm dinner, so we drove to elgol.

it was 6.30pm+ when we returned. it was still bright so we mights as well take a stroll. 🙂

elgol

as with some time to kill before dinner, we drove to elgol.

actually it was a bit of a long drive, taking about 1hr 40mins return.

elgol

elgol is a small fishing village. 

elgol

elgol

there is a coastal walk & caves, we didn’t have time so we just take in the views from the carpark on higher ground & relaxed.

elgol

elgol

elgol is also the place where you can take a boat to visit loch coruisk.

Loch Coruisk…an inland loch accessible by boat from Elgol, or on foot from Sligachan (approximately 7–8 miles distance). 

elgol

elgol

wife drove the journey back. the portion nearer elgol are single track roads passable by only 1 car, with passing lane at intervals.

elgol

elgol

after returning to duisdale, we took a walk down the short stretch of beach. then we washed & rest & looking forward to a nice dinner at the restaurant at the duisdale.

c.h.e.f andy

Iconic Dornie (Eilean Donan) Castle on 10Jun2017 (Day 2 Fort Williams/Isle of Skye Trip 9-14Jun2017)

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steale falls to dornie castle to duisdal house hotel to elgol

after an invigorating 2-hr hike at steale falls at glen nevis, 

we drove back to fort williams thinking of having lunch at lime tree restaurant to relish the fine dinner place last evening but it was closed. 

we drove on to isles of skye stopping at Eilean Donan Castle (fondly called dornie) enroute. it was a close to 2hrs drive.

after dornie castle, we drove on to skye bridge & cross over to isles of skye, and it was a short 35mins to our duisdal house hotel in sleat, the southern peninsula where the ferry crosses from from mallaig to armadale.

dornie Eilean Donan) castle

dornie Eilean Donan) castle

dornie Eilean Donan) castle

dornie Eilean Donan) castle

the dornie castle is recognised as an iconic image of scotland. it is situated on an island at the confluence of 3 sea lochs, and one of the most visited attractions in scotland.

dornie Eilean Donan) castle

dornie Eilean Donan) castle

the mid 13th century castle stood guard over the lands of Kintail.

it was restored when Lieutenant Colonel John MacRae-Gilstrap bought the island in 1911, and castle was re-opened in 1932.

dornie Eilean Donan) castle

dornie Eilean Donan) castle

dornie Eilean Donan) castle

dornie Eilean Donan) castle

The castle is a popular  location for films, TV, advertisements, fashion shoots and music videos.

after dornie, we drove on to isles of skye & checked into our hotel for the night, duisdale house hotel.

c.h.e.f andy

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

Eilean Donan Castle
Address:
Dornie, Kyle of Lochalsh IV40 8DX, UK
Contact:
+44 1599 555202
Opening Hours:
 Daily:  10AM–5PM

 

Easy 2hr Hike at Steale Falls on 10Jun2017 (Day 2 Fort Williams/Isle of Skye Trip 9-14Jun2017)

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road to steale falls

after a wonderful breakfast at the Gantocks, 

we checked out & followed allans’s directions (&google map) to the steale falls trailhead at glen nevis outside fort williams on 10.6.2017.^^

road to steale falls

it was wet & overcast. directions were easy to follow & the drive was scenic.

road to steale falls

we thought the drive was as nice as that we had at glen etive, only that there was no river alongside.

road to steale falls

aside from that, it was a really beautiful country drive though the weather was dismal…

road to steale falls

the trailhead took some looking, but we followed allan’s good directions & traveled to the end of the road.

steale falls carpark & trailhead

we parked at the steale falls carpark where the trailhead for the trail starts. 🙂

hiking at steale falls trailhead

the drizzle got heavier & i had to put on my daiso $2 raincoat as my parka is rain resistant only not rainproof.

hiking at steale falls

hiking at steale falls

hiking at steale falls

hiking at steale falls

it was a very nice walk, despite the rain. 🙂

hiking at steale falls

hiking at steale falls

hiking at steale falls

hiking at steale falls

there was change of terrain but it was an easy hike.

certainly no comparison with our adventurous & challenging bukhansan hike in seoul. ^^

hiking at steale falls

hiking at steale falls

a stream/fall to break up the monotony. 🙂

hiking at steale falls

hiking at steale falls

hiking at steale falls

hiking at steale falls

hiking at steale falls

hiking at steale falls

hiking at steale falls

hiking at steale falls

hiking at steale falls

another tiny fall.

hiking at steale falls

hiking at steale falls

hiking at steale falls

hiking at steale falls

hiking at steale falls

hiking at steale falls

and finally we emerged from the wooded path to wide open ground with steale fall in the distance.

we walked to the wire bridge where some younger folks were crossing. both of us did not want to cross over, so we looked over the steale falls from this side of the river.

steale falls

steale falls

steale falls

steale falls

a nice fall.

we were going to iceland (where far more majestic waterfalls of all variations/descriptions are a dime a dozen) with our children later in the month, but still this is a very pleasant sight & a delightful destination after an equally pleasant walk in the woods….

hiking back from steale falls

we walked back the path & through the woods that had earlier opened up to this spacious terrain.

hiking back from steale falls

and back to the carpark & the trailhead.

our next destination is the isles of skye.

c.h.e.f andy

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Steale Falls, Fort Williams

Location:

Old Military Rd, Fort William PH33 6SY, UK

Great Stay, Wonderful Host, Superb Breakfast @ The Gantocks Fort Williams on 10Jun2017 (Day 2 Fort Williams/Isle of Skye Trip 9-14Jun2017)

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dining room

we were at three sisters carpark contemplating if we should hike the lost valley.

weather was unpredictable & it looked like we just about having some sunshine, and we were uncertain of the weather the next day & whether we should just get on with the hike. but it was 3.30pm & the return hike would take us 3-4hrs.

so we picked the easy option & decided to drive on to the falls of glencoe down the road A82,

and then to glencoe lochan to take a leisurely lakeside stroll before moving on to fort williams where we booked a bed & breakfast at the Gantocks for the evening.

after glencoe lochan, we arrived at the Gantocks about 5.30pm. earlier in the day, sandra had messaged us if we could arrive earlier so they could leave for a dinner evening out with i think her sister. once we decided that we were not hiking the lost valley, we messaged that we would be early. sandra greeted us and informed that she decided to stay & greet us & not to go out for the evening in any case should we be late. 🙂

the room and ensuite toilet was good size & comfortable, and facing loch linhe. i think they only have 3 rooms including ours & they were all taken this evening.

we got some details of dining places & drove the short 2mins drive to lime tree restaurant & fort williams town centre,

and managed to dine at the lime tree restaurant, among the best dinner we had during this trip at fort williams & isles of skye.

dining room

next morning we had among the best breakfast i had in b&b in uk on 10.6.2017! ^^

dining room is nicely appointed & has many books.

breakfast at the Gantocks

2 other couples joined us later, a younger couple from germany & another older couple from liverpool if i remembered correctly…great folks & we had nice chat during breakfast..

freshly baked scones, bread & shortcakes

allan made excellent scones & bread, and i may say everything else! 🙂

freshly baked scones

scones were great with butter & homemade jam.

quality museli

& very good quality museli which i took.

oven grilled red grapefruit

wife took the oven grilled red grapefruit. it was truly excellent. warm, just slight sweet combining well with the naturally sour taste.

raspberry mousse palate cleanser

& we even had a palate cleanser – a raspberry mousse…this truly restaurant standard.

scottish full breakfast

& an excellent scottish full breakfast- good quality back bacon, good farm sausages, and musrroms & potatoes. great stuff.

i have had good breakfast in cornwall & exmoor b&b, average 0r above ones at conwy. this one is really good, and the additional touches of grapefruit, palate cleanser, & freshly baked scones & bread would make it the best!

=============================

we were kind of not high in case, and had wanted to pay for the b&b stay with credit card. allan said there was a charge of 5% or £7 added to the  £140 tariff. he said they were ok if we pay later using debit card when we were back in london! as we were travelling to iceland the next day upon arrival in london, we somehow forgot to do this & we did first thing immediately upon return to london 2 weeks later. good folks, allan & sandra, and great hosts.

c.h.e.f andy

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Gantocks

Address:
Achintore Road, Fort William PH33 6RN, UK
Contact:
+44 1397 702050

Buachaille Etive Mor, Three Sisters & Lost Valley on 9Jun2017 (Day 1 Fort Williams/Isle of Skye Trip 9-14Jun2017)

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Buachaille Etive Mor

after a 1hr+ scenic drive of glen etive,

we drove further down A82 (in the direction of fort williams) to the Buachaille Etive Mor viewpoint on 9.6.2017. ^^.

Buachaille Etive Mor viewpoint

from Buachaille Etive Mor viewpoint 

we sat on a bench facing the mountain & relaxed & took pictures. 🙂

Buachaille Etive Mor

there’s some hikinhg trail up the mountain.

from Buachaille Etive Mor viewpoint

from Buachaille Etive Mor viewpoint

road leading to Buachaille Etive Mor viewpoint & lost valley

road leading to Buachaille Etive Mor viewpoint & lost valley

we took a short stroll along the road.

bridge leading to Buachaille Etive Mor viewpoint & lost valley

to the bridge across the stream.

from Buachaille Etive Mor viewpoint

Buachaille Etive Mor on the other side.

this the landmark we saw driving up A82 towards glen etive. now it was ahead of us.

the 3 sisters viewpoint

we drove a short distance down the road A82 to three sisters viewpoint.

the 3 sisters viewpoint

the 3 sisters viewpoint carpark is the start of the lost valley trail head.

the lost valley Coire Gabhail is supposedly a popular short walk (around 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) each way, ascent 230 metres (750 ft)),

for our standard of hiking, that would probably took us 3 to 4hrs…haha!

it was like 3.30pm. the weather had cleared after the early afternoon drizzle. we were uncertain of the weather the next day & whether we should just get on with the hike.

still we had all the excuses, so we decided to go for a lakeside stroll at glencoe lochan instead. haha! ^^

the 3 sisters viewpoint

The Three Sisters: Beinn Fhada, Gearr Aonach, and Aonach Dubh are three steeply-sided ridges that extend north into the Glen.

3 sisters & lost valley

3 sisters & lost valley

a popular spot indeed!

falls of glencoe

we drove further along A82 & came to the falls of glencoe.

falls of glencoe

another tiny falls, and good for a few pictures.

falls of glencoe

falls of glencoe

after the falls, we drove on to glencoe lochan for a leisurely 45mins round the lakeside stroll. quite fun too la!

c.h.e.f andy

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Buachaille Etive Mor

Location:
Ballachulish PH49 4HY UK
Buachaille Etive Mòr, generally known to climbers simply as The Buachaille, is a mountain at the head of Glen Etive in the Highlands of Scotland.Wikipedia
  • Elevation:
    • 1,022 m
  • Location:
    • Glen Etive, Scotland
Three Sisters Car Park
Location: 

A82, Ballachulish PH49 4HX, UK

 

Scenic Glen Etive Drive on 9Jun2017 (Day 1 Fort Williams/Isle of Skye Trip 9-14Jun2017)

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reaching glen etive

after an ceann mor at inveruglas, still alongside loch lomond,

we drove to glen etive on the way to fort williams on 9.6.2017.

reaching glen etive

Buachaille Etive Mor

we drove past glencoe mountain, with the view of Buachaille Etive Mor down the road, guarding the entrance to glen etive like a sentinel.

(the above photo taken at a view-stop down the road looking directly at the magnificient Buachaille Etive Mor).

glen etive (start single track road)

arrived at the start of the glen etive single track road scenic drive.

this the much talked-about film locations for james bond skyfall & braveheart movies!

glen etive

glen etive

glen etive

we followed the scenic drive along river etive, which flows into loch etive.

glen etive

glen etive

such a wonderful landscape!

rapids @ glen etive 

rapids @ glen etive

river etive has many streams & tributories, and rapids…apparently grade 4 rapids for kayakers & a range of pools & waterfalls.

glen etive

glen etive

glen etive

glen etive

glen etive

scenic & serene indeed!

glen etive

glen etive

glen etive

glen etive

glen etive

glen etive

glen etive

we did not drive all the way to loch glen but most of it anyway, the drive took 1hr 10mins.

an invigorating drive, but weather was wet & not co-operative & drizzling.

we drove on to the vista view-stop & sat on a bench to stare at Buachaille Etive Mor.

c.h.e.f andy

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

Glen Etive

Address:

Ballachulish PH49 4JA UK

 

 

Coffee & Waffles @ The Bear & Fish Coffee Bar on 25Jul2017 (RI Bro 10pax Sutera Mall Trip 24-25Jul2017)

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nutty latte

this my last entry for our very fun RI bros 10pax sutera mall overnight makan, massage, karaoke trip 24-25Jul2017. ^^

i didn’t actually do the massage as i not hot on massage, but would have done anyway, and will do next time, but for this time i wanted to look see at sutera mall, the shops & makan places…

we had already checked out & deposited our bigger luggage at J Hotel..i had my light backpack with me anyway.

we were catching the 2.40pm bus sw4s for the 45mins journey to second link CIQ, and target to be at sutera mall foyer at 2.30pm to board the bus.

just want coffee

after lunch at Kah Kah Loke 佳佳乐苦瓜汤 we walked round a bit.

we settled for coffee at The Bear & Fish Coffee Bar with the ‘just want coffee’ branding..

greentea & waffle

we tried some wafer…a bit hard & not so flavourful..not quite the standard of daily scoop or udders in singapore.

After coffee & wafer, we walked with our luggage to sutera mall & caught the CW4S bus to second link, then boarded the cw4 on singapore side to jurong east..

c.h.e.f andy

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Bear And fish ( COFFEE BAR)

Address:
65, Jalan Sutera Tanjung 8/3, Taman Sutera Utama, 81300 Skudai, Johor, Malaysia
Contact:
+60 7-554 0908
Opening Hours:
daily
  • 12PM–12AM

OK Lunch at Kah Kah Loke 佳佳乐苦瓜汤 Sutera on 25Jul2017 (RI Bro 10pax Sutera Mall Trip 24-25Jul2017)

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breaded pork chop RM18

after breakfast at ah hong kopitiam, some bro wanted to go sutera mall…

a bro bought ma tie soh we all tried. not quite the standard of the ma tie soh we bought at ming ang confectionary near ksl…

i bought some sour sweet for my son.

after that we checked out of J Hotel & walked across the street to 佳佳乐苦瓜汤 for lunch

 

Kah Kah Loke 佳佳乐苦瓜汤@ Taman Sutera

Kah Kah Loke 佳佳乐苦瓜汤, across the road from our J Hotel, was closed yesterday (monday) when we arrived.

it’s open today.

we ordered some of their signature dishes with photos pasted on the wall.

lunch was RM 142 for 10pax. maybe we did not order much…

the breaded pork cutlet, like the ba pao, hainanese pork chops, was good.

bittergourd soup with innards RM32

the bittergourd with innards my friends found too sweet…quite i agree..

the innards were ok, some overcooked, & the soup being too sugary sweet, meant that this signature dish was actually quite below par…

tofu RM15

tofu was ok…but this really a “nothing” dish.

birth intestines RM13.50

the birth intestines 生肠 was quite ok, could be more 脆 & 爽口, & the braising sauce was not the best…

sambal sweet potato leaves RM10.50

the sambal potato leaves were good.

tau gay RM10.50

tau gay was ok…but another nothing dish…

RM142 for 10pax

lunch for 10pax was RM142, cheaper than our earlier breakfast at ah hong kopitiam. 

but food was so so, and the signature dishes like bittergourd soup was something we didn’t think much of…. so everything got to take into the context of the price. at RM142 for 10pax nothing much to complain about la…

c.h.e.f andy

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Kah Kah Loke 佳佳乐苦瓜汤

Address: 
130, Jalan Sutera Tanjung 8/3, Taman Sutera Utama, 81300 Skudai, Johor, Malaysia

Opening Hours: 

Tuesday 10AM–3:30PM, 5:30–10PM
Monday Closed
Contact:
Phone: +60 7-556 0864

OK Breakfast @ Ah Hong Kopitiam on 25Jul2017 (RI Bro 10pax Sutera Mall Trip 24-25Jul2017)

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dry mee siam

the morning after we walked over to ah hong coffeeshop for breakfast.

our leader KH said the dry mee siam here very good, and also the nasi lemak is popular order here, though he has not tried it yet..

ah hong kopitiam

ah hong kopitiam is just round the corner of the row of shop houses on the other side from our J Hotel..

ah hong kopitiam 

nice, broght & airy place…

ah hong coffeeshop

we were there about 9.45am, after a late night ending at 1am at “i am a singer 我是歌手 karaoke”…

ah hong coffeeshop 

one bro came earlier after his sleepless first half & second half last evening..lol! anyway he joined us for his second breakfast…

ah hong coffeeshop

there are a few popular menu items…

kuay teow soup

2 friends CM & CH ordered the soupy kuay teow soup..

dry mee siam

the rest of us had the dry meesiam & nasi lemak..

the dry mee siam was actually just average by singapore standard..fried chicken wing batter & meat both dry..

nasi lemak – wrong plate 

they served me a wrong plate of nasi lemak, one with fishball skewers instead of chicken wing. they duly changed it.

nasi lemak –

nasi lemak rice was ok fragrant but really nowhere by adam road selera rasa nasi lemak standard..

peanuts & ikan bilis ok…sambal chilli with onions very good👍

bill for 10pax 

breakfast for 10pax was RM$158…ok but not so cheap even by singapore standard.

c.h.e.f andy

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Ah Hong Kopitiam
Address:
60, Jalan Sutera Tanjung 8/4, Taman Sutera Utama, 81300 Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Contact:
+60 12-771 9600
Opening Hours:
daily
  • 7AM–10PM

I Am A Singer KTV 我是歌手 @ Sutera Mall on 24JUl2017 (RI Bro 10pax Sutera Mall Trip 24-25Jul2017)

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我是歌手 karaoke

after a really good dinner, more so than i had expected, at  iRestoran Pekin Sutera 五福北京城, it was 10pm…. 

perfect timing for 我是歌手 i am a singer karaoke we booked earlier = just RM140 for 3hrs for a huge room for 10pax with 3 jugs free soft drinks..

we later ordered one round of bottled beers RM158..here they let you bring your own tidbits & bites but you have to buy the drinks from them…quite fair actually…

so overall just RM$310 for 10pax..we finished at 1am, went back & koon liao…

voted best singers for the evening = KH & BT👍…KH being the all round RI bro got talent hopeful & BT claiming this the first time he sang at a karaoke..ya..ya…we all believe him of course! 

c.h.e.f andy

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Address:
Jalan Sutera Tanjung 8/4
Skudai, Johor, Malaysia
Get Directions
Contact:
@wsgs.sutera
Send Message
Call +60 7-558 1008
HOURS
daily = 10:30AM – 3:00AM

Excellent 10pax Dinner @ Restoran Pekin Sutera 五福北京城 on 24Jul2017 (RI Bro 10pax Sutera Mall Trip 24-25Jul2017)

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starter platter RM120

earlier we looked at a few restaurants in sutera mall like 大上海, evergreen, 客人来..

we decided on peking duck restaurant, Restoran Pekin Sutera 五福北京城…it was an excellent choice..

very expensive seafood 

we didn’t have reservation…the aircon area was full.

so we got a table at a hall that they said have blowers/ventilators…this hall has high ceiling & the tables were spaced far apart. actually it felt more spacious than the aircon hall.

very expensive seafood 

we surveyed the live seafood tanks…

everything was expensive – fish, crab, lobster, prawns etc…everything singapore price or more expensive c/w promotion prices at singapore seafood restaurants eg ah yat abalone forum restaurant…

so we just forgot about these live seafood, & the peking duck also, since we just had very nice meng meng roast duck 阿明帝皇鸭 for lunch… 

smoked trotters RM18

2 bros made very good food orders. all the dishes were just great!

we had a great starter platter (top photo). all the items were good, crispy, fresh, nicely done.

the smoked trotters were ok, sauce a bit overpowering.

very thick sea cucumbers with brocoli RM158

the best dish for me was the sea cucumbers with brocoli.

sea cucumbers were very thick, superb texture & taste delicious,  and enough for 2 rounds (2 servings/pax for 10pax) and maybe some pieces more..

very thick sea cucumbers with brocoli RM158

it was expensive dish, but quite good value vs singapore prices for such a dish..

roast chicken RM48

the roast chicken was excellent!

skin was so crispy, and the meat was moist, tender & sweet. among the very best roast chicken i had.

i almost like never order chicken dishes outside. this one i will definitely order again when i come.

garlic fried lala – littleneck clams RM67.50

we had the lala. this one was fried with garlic & maybe chai poh, can’t really remember…

garlic fried lala – littleneck clams RM67.50

quite ok…but then i had tasted better preparations…

and i must say the price RM67.50 didn’t mke sense to me, when the roast chicken is RM48…

like my own wok fried manila clams 香锅炒蛤蜊 ….

元蹄braised trotters RM45

and we had 元蹄braised trotters.

this was good too, the trotters skin & tendons nicely gelatinous & the braise was flavourful. the lean meat was not sinewy & quite tender & moist..overall a very good braised trotter.

romaine lettuce 油麦菜 RM25

romaine lettuce 油麦菜 RM25

romaine lettuce 油麦菜 was competent, a nice dish, nothing special maybe, but still quite nice complement to the other dishes.

RM 580 for 10pax 

overall the price was RM580nett for 10pax…i thought really quite ok c/w say lunch RM425..

this is restaurant setting, and several dishes like the sea cucumbers, roast chicken were outstanding & the braised trotters were very good, and the starter platter was also a pretty good standard dish, so price was quite good relative to lunch.

c.h.e.f andy

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pekin restaurant sutera

Address:

1, Jalan Sutera Tanjung 8/4, Taman Sutera Utama, 81300 Skudai, Johor, Malaysia
Contact:
+60 7-557 3899
Opening Hours:
mon – fri
  • 5:30AM–10:30PM
sat-sun
  • 11:30AM–10:30PM

Happy Hour at Vigneto Wine House Sutera on 24Jul2017 (RI Bro 10pax Sutera Mall Trip 24-25Jul2017)

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vigneto wine house @ sutera

after a good coffee at doi chaang caffe, 3 of us went to sutera mall to look see look see. the rest went for massage..

we met later for a drink at vigneto wine house, just across the street from our J Hotel, at 5.30pm plus…

vigneto wine house @ sutera

this place has a nice ambience. it was still early so we were their first customer..

a great place to relax a while before going for dinner…

bottoms up @ vigneto wine house sutera

it’s happy hour, so my friends ordered a few rounds of booze…bottoms up!

bottoms up @ vigneto wine house sutera

i am happy with my ice lemon tea…

vigneto wine house

they allowed us to have our own tidbits, so a friend went to bring some groundnuts he brought…something to munch while we chat & toast..

we stayed for a while..& the guys could really finish the beers..

almost 8pm, we decided to go pekin restaurant sutera for dinner & took a short walk over.

drinks for 10pax about RM260.

c.h.e.f andy

++++++++++++++++++++

Vigneto Wine House @ sutera

Address:

106, Jalan Sutera Tanjung 8/3, Taman Sutera Utama, 81300 Skudai, Johor, Malaysia
Contact:
+60 16-737 6230
Opening Hours:
daily
  • 3PM–2AM

Good Coffee @ Doi Chaang Caffe Sutera on 24Jul2017 (RI Bro 10pax Sutera Mall Trip 24-25Jul2017)

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doi chaang cafe

after dessert at tian yuan 甜 元, we checked in & got all our 5 rooms at J Hotel

each room gets a welcome americano at doi dchaang cafe a few shops away..

doi chang is a thai producer & distributor of specialty, single origin, high quality arabica coffee.  Doi Chaang Coffee is only grown and produced in Baan Doi Chang, Wawee district, Mae Suai, Chiang Rai.

we had 10pax with 5 free welcome americano, so we ordered 5 more coffee.

i took one of the americano was good, quite flavourful..i like it…we did not cakes etc as we just had lunch & dessert & we were having happy hour later at vigneto & then dinner.

after coffee, 7 went to have massage, 2 others & i went to sutera mall as i have not visited the mall yet…

c.h.e.f andy

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Taman Sutera Utama, 99, Jalan Sutera Tanjung 8/3, Skudai, 81300 Skudai, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Contact:
+60 7-550 4144
Opening Hours:
daily
  • 11AM–12AM

Dessert Time @ Tian Yuan 甜元 Suetra on 24Jul2017 (RI Bro 10pax Sutera Mall Trip 24-25Jul2017)

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peanut 花生糊

after a quite shiok meng meng roast duck 阿明帝皇鸭  & the best char siew lunch, we stopped by tian yuan 甜 元 to have some dessert.

peanut 花生糊 (top photo)，& almond 杏仁糊best here..👍

tian yuan 甜 元dessert

tian yuan 甜 元dessert  is a few shops from our J hotel.

ondeh ondeh

we ordered some ondeh ondeh, coconut dessert with gula melaka inside..quite ok, pretty standard…skin a bit thick though…

rojak

rojak was ok too..sauce was light, just nice, not overpowering…

black sesame 黑芝麻糊 & almond 杏仁糊

black sesame 黑芝麻糊 ok, but peanut 花生糊 (top photo)，& almond 杏仁糊best …

tau huay ginkyo nuts

bean curd with ginko nuts good…

pulut hitam

pulut hitam ok, quite standard..

dumplings in ginger soup

dumplings in ginger soup was quite good, boleh da…

ice kachang

ice kachang was mediocre, not too good actually, syrup not so tasty..

bill was RM99 for 10pax, pretty ok.

after that we checked in at J Hotel, got our 5 rooms, settle down a bit & walked over to doi chaang for free coffee – only 1 americano per room though…haha!

c.h.e.f andy

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Tian Yuan Dessert Hut

Address:

67, Jalan Sutera Tanjung 8/3, Taman Sutera Utama, 81300 Skudai, Johor, Malaysia
Contact:
+60 7-559 6409
Opening Hours:
thursday – tuesday
  • 1PM–11:30PM
 wednesday closed

Delicious Roast Duck & Best Char Siew @ Meng Meng Roast Duck 阿明帝皇鸭 Taman Sutera Utama on 24Jul2017 (RI Bro 10pax Sutera Mall Trip 24-25Jul2017)

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roast duck 帝皇鸭 RM$66

not all the rooms at J Hotel were ready, but we got 2 rooms to put down our luggage.
then LKY, one organiser, led us to Meng Meng Roast Duck restaurant 阿明帝皇鸭  behind J Hotel for lunch
must say the roast duck 帝皇鸭 was excellent! and the char siew even more so… 👍 👍the other zi char dishes were ok, average….

char siew & siew yoke medium serving RM$33

char siew here was bestest!👍👍👍

we all love the slight chao tar (burnt) fatty char siew, so tasty & flavourful, we ordered a second helping…

meng meng roast duck 阿明帝皇鸭

they are famous for their roast duck 帝皇鸭.

some friends felt that ya wang 鸭王roast duck we had at jln sentosa was better (later i learnt that the stall at sentosa opposite shoon huat bakuteh was taken over by another, and the roast duck & food there are not good now)…

meng meng roast duck 阿明帝皇鸭

resturant was just behind our hotel, walked around the block, a few shops from ah hong coffee house.

meng meng famous for roast duck 帝皇鸭

the restaurant & roast duck are award winning.

meng meng roast duck 阿明帝皇鸭 menu

meng meng roast duck 阿明帝皇鸭 menu

in addition to one whole roast duck & 2 orders of char siew & siew yok, we ordered a few other zi char food.

roast duck 帝皇鸭

duck was a beauty, and very tasty. skin was crispy…

char siew & siew yoke

roast pork was competent, but char siew was the one that stood out…maybe i will try my hands again at char siew, after having such nice ones here…

lotus root soup

spinach soup

we ordered 6 bowls of soup – 3 spinach & 3 lotus roots..

the server had tried to make us to order 10, but 6 was quite enough..they were quite large servings…anyway we had no problems finishing too la…

steamed red snapper红鸡 fish head

we ordered the cai poh steamed red snapper head..

this a very small serving of 1/2 head, and quite mediocre..

my own nonya steamed fish head is better than this any time, and fresher fish head too…

steamed salted fish minced pork

the steamed salted fish minced pork 咸鱼饼 is such a simple standard dish, but they didn’t do it well here. minced pork was lean, dry, not smooth, not tasty..

this i can do better anytime la, and i will be serving this in a homecooked dinner with several JB dishes later…

sambal sotong

the sambal sotong was good.

sambal sotong

tasty, and appetizing. 🙂

a fairly standard zi char dish…

fried ikan selar

the fried ikan selar & chili were pretty good.

this a cheap fish though, and nothing special, quite easy to do at home, and is nice fried or steam, though some may find it a bit more fishy…

kang kong

chili kang kong was good.

chye sim

& the chye sim plain fired with garlic too..

tofu dish

the tofu dish was not too appealing…taste wise mediocre, a poor dish overall..

the bill = RM425 for 10pax

lunch for 10pax was RM$425=at RM$42.50pax actually not very cheap for the dishes we had in a makan place like this…

the roast duck though was impressive & the char siew was out of this world…other than those 2, the other zi char food was ok average, nothing too special..

overall, we all enjoyed the makan very much thanks to the 2 outstanding roasts.

c.h.e.f.andy

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Meng Meng Roasted Duck 阿明帝皇鸭

Address: 
Taman Sutera Utama, 81300 Skudai, Johor, Malaysia

Opening Hours: 

Open today · 10:30AM–10:30PM

Contact:
Phone: +60 7-558 9322