A Malaysian fitness and travel Blogger on a personal journey towards fitness and balance, fueled by her passion for travel and the noms.
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A solo jaunt into Seputeh found me at Ghostbird Coffee, a hidden cafe that shares its space with a Yoshoku-inspired pop-up kitchen, Ramen Project. For a late Saturday morning, the cafe was quiet - a rarity in today's explosion of cafes in Malaysia and I absolutely milked in the peace and quiet.
The place was inviting with all sorts of homey furniture and decorations that didn't match. In short, it had the vibes and feels of someone's home. Ghostbird Coffee Company was its own roastery and upon wandering over into the shoplet side, I could sniff the scent of freshly roasted coffee beans. Delightful.
Honeydew melons have been cultivated for thousands of years and prized for its tender juicy flesh and rich sweetness. The fruit requires warm and sunny weather to grow, and is typically harvested in summer, in its “shun”. This is when they are at the peak of flavour – they produce a distinct rich floral sweetness with a delicate musky aftertaste. These flavours are perfect to elevate a Roku cocktail.
It could be said Japan has a fifth season – Tsuyu (梅雨), literally meaning “plum rain”. Tsuyu comes between spring and summer and is a time of consistent, gentle rains. This is also when the plum tree starts to bear fruit and is ripe for harvesting, in its “shun”. When tsuyu arrives, plums peak in aroma and flavour; they develop such a striking rich sweetness which adds depth to a Roku cocktail.
Kumquats are a native Southeast Asian citrus fruit that taste like a mix between orange and grapefruit. They love warm weather and are ready for harvest between late winter and early Spring, in their “shun”. This is when bold tangy flavours come alive, resulting in the distinctly citrusy flavour of the fruit. The appetizing sweetness of the peel also makes it a favourite in desserts. The kumquat is perfect to elevate a Roku cocktail.
Head bartender of Jann KL, Darwin Ng, chooses the citrusy Kumquat to pair with his Roku signature cocktails, the perfect experience for diners who are looking for something different and exciting.
For this season, Eric Chang from Coley Cocktail Bar singles out the unique Spring botanical used to make a Roku to showcase his signature cocktails, the delicate Sakura. For cocktail lovers who appreciate refine, exquisite cocktails that exude simplicity, Coley presents its signature Roku Sakura cocktails; Hanami, Sa-Kura, and Nanoka.
Cooking can be a chore at times but thankfully places like Japan have come up with a way to make getting yummy food convenient. Case in point - Namikata Japanese Curry. Available in both seafood and chicken, Namikata takes out the hassle of having to make your own curry and meat by prepacking it in one easily heated bag.
