Now, weekends at my home is family time. Its the only day of the week dad's not at his workplace, so we always go out on Saturday, usually for dinner.
Now, my neighbors and i maintain a strong relationship, but there is one issue we can never agree on....food. We have to date tried out 5 restaurants on their recommendation.......and for the sake of politeness i will just say.....they were all disappointing, so no surprise when i was apprehensive when mom suggested we look into one more recommended place by them this saturday (yesterday), the Colmar Tropicale at Bukit Tinggi. They said the food was good there, and its only an hour's drive from K.L.
Ok....on the matter of food, i'm a little fussy. I'm a down right miser (mom said so), and i rarely spend on anything apart from transportation, books (preferably second hand, why waste more cash on the same thing from MPH or Borders?), sports equipment and rental costs for badminton, tennis and futsal courts. But, i seriously don't mind spending on food ....provided its good. Ok, i cringe at the fact that i have to shell out 4 bucks or so on a mamak's meal......its money wasted in my opinion for the fact that me being indian, i get the same stuff at home, and its better. I would rather fork out 6 or 10 bucks more and have a meal i can't have at home which i would really enjoy, hence the reason i only eat out about twice a week when i was at Taylor's, prefering to wait till 2 to get home by 3pm for a good lunch.
OK, lets get back on the subject of this recommended place. I looked it up on the net and Berjaya gave this description of the place:
Like a picture postcard come alive at your doorstep, Colmar Tropicale, located in Bukit Tinggi, Pahang, is a replica of a collection of buildings from a northeastern village in France dating back to the 16th Century. Accessible via the picturesque Karak Highway, the resort is only 40 minutes from Kuala Lumpur, and the latest addition to Bukit Tinggi Resort, a renowned multicultural resort destination. Surrounded by lush tropical forest land, the 260 units of hotel rooms and one to six-bedroom suites are made up of eight blocks of architectural wonder, each with its unique style, from its colorful roof tiles to cobblestone ground.
The accommodation is an artful combination of old style decor in warm pastel colors matched with modern amenities designed for maximum comfort. There are eight choices of dining outlets serving various specialties. Haute French cuisine is served at La Cigogne, a hodge podge of culinary delights at Le Cafe Coffee House, exotic cocktails and assorted beverages at the Le Blason Lounge, cool refreshments and snacks at Les-Bains-Douches Poolside, home made pastries at La Flamme Sidewalk Deli, sandwiches and various blends of coffee at La Terrace, mouthwatering ice-cream at Le Glacier Ice-Cream Corner, or tuck into a hearty meal at Le Poulet Roti Roast Chicken. Central to the village is Colmar Square where the aroma of the blooms will tantalize your senses.
There are fountains and park benches in the square for relaxation after a hard day's work browsing in the 17 theme shops, or should one wish to take a breather from participating in the various activities. The drawbridge reminiscent of ancient castles, clock tower with an original cuckoo bird clock, and the viewing tower complements the ambience.
Yeah, its a pretty good place for couples i think. Lots of quiet, softly lit small private gardens overlooking the hills , away from the cafes and rooms.
*ahem*
Ok, i think the romantic part is adequate, the food now.
Right, compared to the French restaurants in KL and the ones i've been to in Pondicherry in India, the prices here are pretty reasonable. The swankiest one (some place called Le Cigogne) had a price range of between RM 28 to RM 55.....which is value for money. You get the atmosphere and good food too.But, reservations are a problem. For dinner, you gotta at least book a table at lunch time, and for lunch, book by 9 or 10am. We only got there at 7pm, so i was kinda disappointed. But, but, the other place we ate at (La Flamme) was pretty darn good. Its basically a pizzeria , not French food. Their pizzas were the type that i loved...thin crust, loaded with mozzarella. I HATE THICK CRUST PIZZA! It makes me sick.....all that doughyness. And when i do order pizza, its ALWAYS from Dominoes cause they are the only ones whom make quality pizzas near my house.....thin crust, and u get 2 large pizzas for RM30 if you happen to have a gold card. Ok, so the pizza was good. So, was the salad. Pretty simple one. Lettuce, rocket, celery,onions and a few other leafy veges in it. They give you an option of feta or Parmesan cheese and a selection of dressings. Go for the Parmesan and the olive oil and butter dressing.
The selection here is somewhat limited, but the place allows you to get food from other places and have it there.....we finished off with chicken burgers from that Le Poulet place.......its bloody cheap! RM7 for a large burger (around Burger King's size, and it comes with mashed potato, fries and black pepper sauce).
Righto, the wrap up. The place is good. For once, my neighbor was spot on. If you want to go to the highlands for a quiet weekend, forget Fraser's Hill and Cameron Highlands... they're too far and you enjoy more here...and its a stone's throw from KL, you don't waste the day travelling.
Okies, picture time:
A suit of armor in the lobby. I have no idea if its french. Mom and Dad next to it, dad's arguing with mom on whether its french or not.
Love the chandelier. Not one of those gaudy crystal ones, but a simple and elegant black wrought iron one
View of the narrow cobbled street.
|