Ichiban Boshi

Went to Ichiban Boshi @ Pavillion on last week for lunch before feeding the fishes at Kenko Reflexology and Fish Spa. It was our first visit to this yet another "Kaiten Sushi" Japanese restaurant. The restaurant was almost full-house when we were there, it could be due to public holiday. They have an open kitchen concept as well like any other Kaiten Suhi restaurants you can find. One of their specialty is the soba noodles but we did not order it as we are not big fans of soba.

Full house

Very comfortable environment

Wasabi for yourself

Instead of serving the usual green tea you find in other restaurants, Ichiban Boshi served Houjicha. It was priced at RM1.00, houjicha is an oven roasted green tea. No doubt the colour and the taste were different from the usual green tea.

Houjicha

Tobiko Sushi

Priced at RM4.00, this Tobiko sushi was served with generous filling of flying fish roe. This Tobiko is slightly different from the Ebikko (shrimp roe) in terms of its size. Tobiko is slightly bigger than the Ebikko, but the taste wise was almost similar.

Ichiban Fiesta Roll

Ichiban Fiesta Roll, priced at RM4.00 too, was a combination of fried salmon, cucumber, shrimp roe and spicy sauce. The salmon tasted like chicken after frying (hmm...weird!!).

Salmon sushi

Priced at RM4.00 also, this salmon sushi was just like any other salmon sushi...hehehe. The salmon was fresh. That's all I can comment.

Soft Shell Crab Handroll

Soft shell crab is always one of the must-order item everytime we visit the Japanese restaurant. There was no exceptional for this time. LKC had the soft shell crab handroll (priced at RM4.00). Soft shell crab, cucumber, shrimp roe, spicy sauce and rice were wrapped around a large piece of seaweed.

Tsukune

Shitake

I had this tsukune (minced chicken with teriyaki sauce) for RM2.90 per stick and shitake mushroom for RM3.40 per stick. Both tsukune and shitake were part of the Kushiyaki "family". Kushiyaki is a very popular Japanese BBQ skewered satay of chunky meat, fresh fish and selected vegetables. The tsukune was crunchy on the outside, while juicy and tender on the insdie. The shitake was slightly salted and some squeezed lemon juice made the shitake tasted special.

The grilling area

Yakiniku Zen

We also ordered this Yakiniku Zen for RM21.90. This set consisted of sizzling grilled black-pepper beef, miso soup, a bowl of rice, "pickled fish skin" and orange as appetizer.

Fatty LPC

LKC enjoyed the food so much!

Bali 15-03-08

It was our final day in Bali. Our flight back to Malaysia was scheduled to depart at 20:15. Since we had almost a full day in Bali and there wasn't any activity planned in our itinerary, we extended Wayan's service for 60000 Rupiah and booked the same van we had been traveling since the first day for 500000 Rupiah (inclusive of petrol).
I woke up as early as 08:00 to go to the spa that I booked earlier at Bunga Bali Spa. I was kinda lazy to get up so early after the drinking session on the night before. But thinking of the spa, I forced myself to get up. I took the Serenity Package and paid 200000 Rupiah (approx RM72) for 2 hours of spa treatment. Cheap, wasn't it?
The package includes:-

• Serenity foot wash
• Serenity Massage
• Serenity Body Scrub with Sandalwood
• Serenity Milk Body Mask
• Serenity Bath with lemon slice
• Ginger tea

Bunga Bali Spa

There were few more types of treatments that I wanted to try like the warm stone massage and balancing massage, but time did not allow me to do so...sigh. 4 days were never enough.
After spa, I quickly went back to the room to pack my luggages as the van came at 11:00. I didn't really spend my time on the flowers bath and even brought the ginger tea back to the room to drink...too rush...too rush!!
After checking-out, our first stop was Ibu Oka Babi Guling (Suckling Pig) at Ubud. Sze Wei's friend said it's a must-try food in Bali. There were a lot of stalls selling this Babi Guling, you can see it at everywhere, but we opted for the most famous one.

Ibu Oka Babi Guling

So crowded

We arrived there at around 12:30 and it was time for lunch. The place was so crowded and the fact is it didn't look like a restaurant. The "restaurant" was in the house compound. There was no other choice of food there except the babi guling. We ordered 6 sets of babi guling (with rice) and teh botol (4 of us + Wayan + driver).

Babi Guling

Teh Botol

Babi guling (cost 30000 Rupiah) is a rice set which consist of white rice, vegetables, roast pork and deep fried intestine. The pork skin was crispy, something like the suckling pig we have in Chinese restaurant. I didn't really enjoy this meal as it was too oily and I didn't like the pork's smell. It was so disgusting. The Teh Botol tasted one kind too. I don't how to describe it but I didn't like it as well.

Pregnant monkey

After lunch, we headed to Uluwatu temple - temple on a cliff. LKC had to take off his spectacles as LKC was warned that the monkeys might snatch his spectacles away. Since it is a holy temple, no one is allowed to hit or disturb the monkeys. The monkeys are the king there!! We didn't finish going round the temple trail as the weather was toooooooo hot.

With Wayan - the tour guide

LKC & LPC at Uluwatu

The we headed to Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park. The Garuda Wisnu Kencara is the newest statue but still under construction and would be the tallest statue in the world. After completion, the statue would be moved to a new location nearby. What we had seen was only 20% of the planned structure and it was due to complete in 2010. There was nothing much to do there so I decided to take some candid photos.

Garuda Wisnu Kencana Cultural Park

Mount Agung - highest volcano in Bali

LKC & LPC at Garuda Wisnu Kencana

LKC bitten by Garuda

Seah Nee kissed Garuda

LPC licked Garuda

LKC poked Garuda's eye

Yeah!!

Wisnu on the left, Garuda on the right

It was still early for us to go to the airport, so we headed to the nearest beach, the Jimbaran Beach, which happened to be the second bomb blast site. There was a fleet of restaurants along the beach. We strolled along the beach while enjoying the sunset. Too bad we did not know this place earlier, else we would have came for dinner before flying back home. Anyway, we stopped by at Santi Cafe to have a drink while we enjoyed the beautiful sunset. We too saw locals fishing, fishermen going to the sea, ang mohs surfing, children practicing silat, couples sunbathing and etc. Ahhhhh...so relaxing! We miss it so much!

Jimbaran Beach

LKC & LPC at Jimbaran Beach

LKC & LPC at Jimbaran Beach

Caught a fish...so happy!

Magnificent

Beautiful sunset

Coconut...refreshing!!

Bintang Beer...been drinking this almost every night

We left with a heavy heart to the airport at around 17:30. There was a strange regulation after the Bali bombing where only airline passengers were allowed to enter the departure hall. We had to bid goodbye to Wayan before entering the departure hall.
We had given our last 1000 Rupiah to Wayan before we entered the departure hall. Therefore we had nothing left in our pockets. We forgot to save some money for dinner at the airport, so we ended up exchanging Ringgit again for some Rupiah to pay off our dinner.
Anyway, we had to settle for a very 'poor' McDonald's meal. We exchanged RM30 for 28800 Rupiah, but guess what? We could only afford 1 Cheese burger set meal and 1 McChicken(no set meal). We had never felt so poor in front of the McDonald's counter before. Can you imagine that we had to punch the calculator to add up the prices before we made the order??!! Cannot even afford 2 set meals! Aiiii.....never felt so poor in my life before.
The flight departed at 20:15 sharp and arrived 30 minutes earlier than the estimated time of arrival. Everyone clapped their hands when the captain announced it. Haha...ever heard of Air Asia being on-time?? Yeah, we did! We also flew on the newest A330 Airbus, which was a very memorable moment!

Kenko Reflexology & Fish Spa

Been hearing about the opening of Kenko Reflexology & Fish Spa at Pavillion, KL for quite some time but never really bother visiting this place till some time last week. Due to some reason, LKC made me angry and to seek for my forgiveness, he offered me this fish spa. I quickly sealed the deal with him without thinking much.
Besides Kenko Reflexology & Fish Spa at Pavillion, there is another fish spa outlet opened at Tropicana and it's called The Sampuoton Fish Spa. I did a price comparison between the two before choosing Kenko. I thought Kenko would be more expensive as it is located at one of the most expensive shopping centre in Malaysia.
Below is the price difference:-
Kenko Reflexology & Fish Spa
- RM38 for 30 minutes of foot fish spa
- RM108 for 30 minutes of whole body fish spa (in private room)
The Sampuoton Fish Spa
- RM60 for 30 minutes of foot fish spa
- RM97.50 for 60 minutes of whole body fish spa (after discount of 35%, before discount RM150)

The entrance

Very relaxing environment

Since LKC afraid that I might not enjoy the spa, he suggested to try on the foot first. So we opted Kenko to experience our very first fish spa. I didn't know what to expect when I arrived at the centre. All I know there will be a lot of small fishes nibbling at my feet.

Washing area

After making the payment, we were ushered to a washing area to cleanse the feet before entering the Fish Spa. The place was quite full but we managed to scout our spots at one of the corner. I didn't know the fishes swarmed my legs in less than few seconds after I submerged my legs into the tank. I screamed and immediately lifted both my legs out of water. For a moment, I felt a slight of panic.

LKC couldn't control his giggles

Within seconds, a large school of Garra Rufas swarmed my legs. It wasn't painful but because of the repeated nibbling, it applied some pressure to the skin and the feeling was like being electrified. It felt incredibly ticklish in the first 5 minutes but after a while we started to get the hang of these Garra Rufas feasting on my feet. LKC couldn't control his giggles. He kept on laughing and lifted his legs. I told him not to waste the time and money and quickly submerge his legs into the tank.
Soon, we were enjoying the sight and feel of being nibbled. Towards the end of the spa, the fishes nibbled on my feet were getting lesser and lesser. After the fish spa, we felt dead skin free. LKC and I feel that our skin around the feet area seem to be softer and smoother now. Shall try on the whole body fish spa one day. Excited...!!!

So ticklish!!

So enjoying!!

Peace...no more ticklish!!

LKC & LPC at Kenko Fish Spa

LPC at Kenko Fish Spa

Full-house

Fishes in another tank

The aquarium facing the main entrance

LKC at Kenko Fish Spa