JapaMala Resort, Villa Samadhi, Tamarind Springs, Tamarind Hill, Mandi-Mandi, NEO Tamarind, ECO

It's a jungle out there, Bambi!

2011-08-22T22:43:00.000-07:00

We finally got Bambi, our palm civet cat to JapaMala Resort, as initially intended. It's her new home away from home in total wilderness, exactly where she belongs. Story here.

Passage to Malaysia : JapaMala Resort, Tioman Island

2011-08-17T19:51:00.000-07:00

Tioman Island is only a 50-min flight away from Kuala Lumpur. Come visit!
Thanks to our friends Denise and David:) Appreciate your effort very much on this show.

Malaysia International Gourmet Festival 2011

2011-08-11T21:45:00.000-07:00

From your dinner table to an overnight sensation. Yes! With Villa Samadhi having finally 'arrived' in KL city, we're offering a seriously attractive and value-for-money bundle with our restaurants.

Once again, NEO Tamarind and Tamarind Springs Restaurant are participating in the MIGF 2011 this October. Our festival packages are as follows :

NEO Tamarind Festival package at Villa Samadhi is priced at RM 1,196 nett only. And Tamarind Springs' at RM 1,146 nett only.
Either one includes:

· One (1) night’s accommodation in a the 'Sarang'
· Sumptuous breakfast for two
· Festival multi-course dinner at respective restaurant for 2 with a bottle of wine
· Shuttle service to and from Villa Samadhi to restaurant
· Return airport transfers (foreign diners)

An additional night’s stay with breakfast for two is priced at RM 576 nett (per night) only for the 'Sarang' category!

This offer is valid from 01 to 31 October 2011. For bookings and other details, call 03-21610769 or email reservations@villasamadhi.com.my

Apresto!

2011-08-05T01:14:00.000-07:00

Ciao buon giorno! Il Tempio seizes operation to make way for a bigger and better plan. More on this in the next couple of months but a new delicious dining concept is coming your way! Something casual, something for the family, something fresh and definitely something yummy:)

KL's Ultimate Treat to Nest In

2011-01-19T22:51:00.000-08:00

We finally got 10 rooms up and running. There're 11 more to go.... Certainly taking us a very long time to complete but really gratifying to see how becoming Villa Samadhi is, in absolute russet harmony. And that it has been developed so organically from day one. Every nook and cranny has our attention. Happy to be providing a secret little pad for KLites to escape and vegetate for the weekend.

If you need a place to reboot and replenish, a place recess enough to relinquish all your dramas, the villa is definitely the right place to rekindle your spirit. Or re-ignite your passion. Come away renewed without leaving KL!
Modern Malaysian fare is offered at Mandi-Mandi all day, exclusive to house guests only. Great breakfast menu, both local and international hot and cold selection. Sits right by the 'lagoon' hence its name, just like the other Mandi-Mandi at JapaMala Tioman as well as the one in Taman TAR KL. Exquisite atmosphere by night.

Bumbung, a little shack up on the roof offers some view of the KL skyline. Cool place to laze around for afternoon or after-dinner drinks. Samadhi in Sanskrit means STATE OF MIND. Reinstate the rhythm of life in the wake of a complete dream state. Welcome to our Samadhi Retreat.

No. 8, Jalan Madge,
Taman U Thant,
Ampang, KL

Phone : +603-21432300
Email : reservations@villasamadhi.com.my

More photos and more news coming. Watch this space.

JAPAMALA RESORT : Luxe For Less

2010-10-30T00:23:00.000-07:00

The LOW SEASON is here! And the ONLY time of the year we offer Super GREAT deals going from 1 November 2010 to 31 January 2011 only, so book quick!

Here's what we RAIN on you :
Enjoy 80% off room rate on each day that rains continuously from 8am – 5pm by staying 6 nights and above on the published rack rates!

Terms & Conditions :

Travel must be before 31 January 2011 with full payment to guarantee your booking.
Offer is NOT applicable from 22nd December 2010 to 5th January 2011
Package applicable for 2 persons only except for The Penghulu’s House (4 persons allowed)
Additional nights' stay from Low Season Package with 5th night onwards: 20% off from rack rate.
Additional persons sharing (not applicable for Tree Top Chalet & Sea Cliff Chalet): - Child: 12 years old and below, FOC on extra bed only (without breakfast), child breakfast is RM 30/child. Maximum 2 children sharing in one room.
Adult: RM 100 per day, inclusive of bed & breakfast only. Maximum 1 additional adult in one room
Airport/Jetty boat pick-up: RM 80 per additional person per way arriving at the same time. Normal boat charges apply if additional person arrives at a different time (minimum RM 160 per pick-up is applied). Child above 4 years old must pay for the adult price.
Classic Thai Massage: RM 150+ per additional person for one hour session.
JapaMala Resorts Sdn Bhd reserves the right to cancel, terminate or suspend the packages offered below without any prior notice.

Room Categories	Rack Rate 2010	Rack Rate 2011	3 Days 2 Nights	4 Days 3 Nights	5 Days 4 Nights
Room Categories	Nett (RM)	Nett (RM)	Nett (RM)	Nett (RM)	Nett (RM)
The Penghulu’s House (4 persons)	1,600.00	1,900.00	3,770.00	5,110.00	6,500.00
Seaview Sarang	980.00	1,130.00	2,190.00	3,000.00	3,900.00
Hillside Sarang	750.00	870.00	1,800.00	2,500.00	3,100.00
Jungle Luxe Sarang	750.00	870.00	1,800.00	2,500.00	3,100.00
Jungle Sarang	600.00	760.00	1,600.00	2,100.00	2,600.00
Sea Cliff Chalet	480.00	560.00	1,400.00	1,800.00	2,200.00
Tree Top Chalet	390.00	450.00	1,250.00	1,570.00	1,900.00

Package :
Room on twin sharing basis (4 persons sharing for The Penghulu’s House)
Daily breakfast (buffet + ala carte)
Exclusive in-room spa toiletries
Welcome drink & fruit basket
One Classic Thai massage for two (1hr) (four for The Penghulu’s House)
Complimentary use of snorkeling gear, fishing line and sea kayaks
Enjoy unlimited movies from library
Return airport / Ferry jetty in Tioman transfer for 2 persons (4 persons for The Penghulu’s House)
Receive a complimentary cash voucher of RM 150 on each day that rains continuously from 8am – 5pm
Cash voucher can only be redeemed for food & beverages and spa treatment during your stay
Cash voucher cannot be exchanged for cash or to pay for other expenses

For reservations or any queries, email Andy or Isaac at reservations@japamalaresorts.com

Tamarind 10 on 10-10-10

2010-10-30T00:10:00.000-07:00

Here it is! We're finally online! Well, bits of it at least....
Keep your eye out for the spectacular Apsara Deva show which came on at 10.10pm and watch how Tamarind came alive under the jungle canopy on this momentous night for the Tamarind brand.

Villa Samadhi

2010-09-06T22:39:00.000-07:00

Still a little bit more to go.... just a little.

Everyone in the company is anticipating the birth of our latest project with great excitement. Villa Samadhi will be an exquisite property.... not just in exterior and interior design but in class and personal service too. We want it to be one of the top 3 residences in Malaysia!

Villa Samadhi is best described as an intimate urban retreat; KL’s ultimate ‘treat to nest in’. This chic villa-in-a-room concept offers a trendy collection of contemporary Asian-inspired rooms, each spanning from 600 square-foot to over 2000 square-foot of living spaces.

The 21 polished-concrete private rooms are fitted with refined salvaged- timber floors and interior, plush beds, over-sized plunge tubs, romantic balconies, furnished with tech-amenities. While some ‘villas’ are fully-equipped with modern kitchens and private gardens, ground-floor rooms are with room-to-water access to the ‘lagoon’.

Bumbung, (the layered roof structure in the pic) the laid-back rustic rooftop tea lounge is premeditated for chill-out sundowns amid KL’s urban drone. Housed within a quiet, upscale residential locale just minutes away from KL city centre, Villa Samadhi is a dream state.

Let us know if you wish to be updated and we'll keep you in the loop.

NEO-rotic

2010-09-01T04:22:00.000-07:00

Minimalistic yet intricate, healthy yet yummy. What more could one ask for? NEO-living should be the new way of life, whether you're a fashionistic figure-watcher or the regular food lover. Neo-cuisine is the new era, at the advent of organics, macrobiotics, free-range and when 'green' is no longer just a color but a mindset. That's pretty NEO-rotic don't you think...?

Think about a better lifestyle, a better physique, far better health and a greater life. Well, start cutting out bad fats, make sensible food choices and kicking unhealthy eating habits. Afterall, you ARE what you eat. And life is short, so what are you waiting for?

Start now. Start by changing when you eat and how much you eat; start eating SMALLER MEALS, more often everyday. Satiate your hunger with high protein, high fibre and low carb food that'll fuel your body. Many don't realize that most times our energy levels are directly affected by the KINDS of food we feed our body. Highly processed food like wheat and sugar can cause your blood sugar to plunge, leading to sudden lethargy. So start making sensible food choices; choose wholegrain or multigrain bread over white bread; choose fresh fruit juice over canned drinks; choose sashimi over tempura. Combine with lots of greens like steamed broccoli, raw baby spinach and other mixed greens with fruits.

Indulge, you may of course...eat however, in MODERATION. Opt for one 'junk' day in a week when you allow yourself to eat what you want. But only after 2 weeks of 'eating right'. As the saying goes, too much of a good thing is not good either....

There's also much debate about the relationship between cancer and how food is cooked. Think twice before ordering anything WELL DONE as over-cooked meats are carcinogenic. So start indulging in raw or seared meats instead.

You CAN be a better you... if you put your mind to it. It takes self-control, lots of discipline and will power with realistic short-term diet goals, by throwing a consistent exercise regime into the mix for faster, more dramatic results. As beautifully put by Astrid Alauda, "Your body is a temple, but only if you treat it as one".

Another side of Maple

2010-08-07T20:52:00.000-07:00

Another side of Maple
Story on our 'lady boss' Maple as restaurateur and her life as a personality in the Malaysian entertaining industry.
Featured in today's national paper The Star - in the Sunday Metro (8 Aug 2010).
Highlighting one of her favourite recipes - one of her restaurant's best-selling dishes Linguine with River Lobster (by Chef Zul of Il Tempio restaurant).
Thanks for reading!

Jungle-Luxe Bridal Fair

2010-07-10T18:13:00.000-07:00

Tamarind Springs, IL Tempio and Mandi-Mandi provide a much coveted concept idea of a tropical wedding in Kuala Lumpur. Perfect wedding venues for small, intimate wedding receptions considering its unique layout, cosy ambience, lush natural surroundings and great food offered by each restaurant ranging from Indochinese to Italian and Thai.

Our venue has also become a desirable place for wedding photo shoots! So don't miss out on fabulous wedding packages we're willing to offer on this day to those planning to tie the knot jungle-style!Some of Malaysia's best professional wedding vendors are here to facilitate the fair, offering inspirational ideas to help plan your dream wedding. 4 different themed weddings will be showcased :

Contemporary Malay

Oriental Glam

Victorian Chic

Rustic-Luxe

Can't imagine how that's gonna look?Well, COME ON OVER!! Admission is FREE!

Our partner vendors who will be exhibiting their products and services include:
~ invitation card creators
~ florists
~ bridal shops
~ bakers/cake-makers
~ creative favours
~ wedding gown designers
~ men’s suit designer
~ custom-made designer shoes
~ jewellery designers
~ photographers
~ reception/ceremony decorators
~ musicians
~ wedding/party planners

And they are none other than :
~ Pretty In White
~ De Rain Atelier
~ Nicleesher
~ Bespoked
~ Riziman Ruzaini
~ Vogue Collection
~ Remy Ngan
~ Beauty Haven
~ The Peak Xperience
~ Floral etc
~ Nupts & Such
~ The Wedding Hub/Wedding Malaysia
~ Truly Scrumptuous
~ Chocolate Graphics
~ Kurma & Such
~ Creative Lines
~ Arada Design
~ La Flaire
~ Vintage Car (Zizi Lim)
~ Valerie Fan
~ Lewre
~ “I DO” Jewellery
~ The Wedding Card Shop
~ Violinist & Pianist (Joanna & Bernie),
~ Bobbi’s Pole Studio Malaysia (Hens Parties & Pole Shows)
~ Japamala Resort & Villa Samadhi (Honeymoon Destinations)

For the fun of it, there will be lucky draw sessions and YES someone gets to go home with a holiday at our own JapaMala Resort or our newest most exciting boutique property in KL, Villa Samadhi!
Lots more for the feast of your senses on this Sunday afternoon; fashion show, pole dance demo, gourmet sampling, make-up demo and goodie bags to be given away.

We're doing this event for those who are shopping for wedding ideas so be there!!!!!!

What : JUNGLE-LUXE BRIDAL FAIR

When : Sunday, July 25 2010 (11am-4pm)

Where : Tamarind Springs Restaurant

Why : Because you need to be inspired

NEO RESTAURANT & LUXE LOUNGE

2010-06-07T17:51:00.000-07:00

Fresh Oysters for those yearning for a NEO-rotic feast in KL on Fridays and Saturdays! Fresh, fresh fresh Irish and Australian oysters, for oyster lovers. Now you know where to go:)

And Saturday nights are for the ladies too;) Our STILETTO SATURDAY promotion is a lure for the shoe fetish! If you're a NEO-lady then you must strut in killer heels.... and we reward you avant garde women by the inch :D

Call for more information 03-21483700

Where : 19, Jln Sultan Ismail (opposite Equatorial Hotel/next to Wisma KFC)

World Environment Day

2010-06-06T00:42:00.000-07:00

Our company has a few unwritten rhetorics. One of them is our most-practised philosophy - we believe in respecting and preserving mother nature because we are inspired by it in every step of our way.

So Samadhi Retreats' 'activists' Tiffany, Cindy, Natalie, Chloe and Jojo (Ms.Khoo too who wasn't allowed out of office due to workload at HQ) were out on the field on this day to walk the talk:)

We were invited by HER WORLD to celebrate the environment on Friday at Taman Metropolitan Kepong. We believe it's that one day in the year that we should all do something hands-on in the name of nature. So we decided to take a half-day leave to go plant some trees in support of Her World's cause.

Daphne Iking was the host of the event with Tun Jean Abdullah as the guest of honor, plus other local celebs like Yasmin Yusuff, Jeslina Hashim and our own Maple Loo, who would gladly dig their nails into the ground for the better of the world.

We were all so thrilled to do our bit except we arrived late! We got lost along the way (well, Maple drove so it's her fault :D) and could not figure out where this place was exactly even though we had a map. Anyway, just as Maple decided to give up and was driving to get to an exit that'll take us back to town center, we found ourselves heading back towards FRIM where this taman is supposedly nearby.

And there. We saw the lake and there we were! On our way to where we had intended from the start! How that happened, it's a mystery..... we took it as a sign; our calling to fulfill this 'mission' :D

So we got there and Daphne Iking was giving her closing speech already. Trees were already planted. Maple was then asked to take a picture with Daphne planting one of the trees. The rest of us, sat down and makan! Hahhahaha.... hey it's the intention that counts right? Again, it's Maple's fault! :D

Official Opening of NEO with STYLE ROCKS!

2009-11-24T15:19:00.001-08:00

FASHION MEETS GOURMET MEETS LIFE !

Style Rocks! Party, one of the most talked about parties in KL, was back. This year, The Melium Group celebrates Style Rocks! Party in full flavour by teaming up with The Malaysia International Gourmet Festival (MIGF) and KL’s new it-spot Neo Global Tapas Restaurant & Luxe Lounge.

The stairway leading up to NEO which sits on the slope, was lit with flickering candles. Society’s A-list added sparkle to the venue which included local celebrities like Datin Su Day, Dato Farah Khan, Rohaya Smurthwaite, Maple Loo, Ning Baizura, Camelia, Shireen Zainuddin Lowe Lina Teoh, Carmen Soo, Serena Choong, Sophie Kamaruddin and Jesrina Arshad. Elaine Daly, a familiar face in the scene, was the host for that evening.

Everyone arrived in style, mostly dressed in the latest fashion runway trend, Juicy Couture. Eight Juicy Couture muses were hand-picked by Dato’ Farah Khan herself.

Guests were also entertained by ‘Juice Couture’ girls who sashayed their way into the party in dazzling, colourful and definitely over-the-top (OTT) outfits to ignite the renowned fashion line.

They grazed the floor in outrageously-juicy character, danced with guests and took photographs with everybody.

They even ended up on the bartop! Another highlight of the night was NEO’s pole artiste who relived the MIGF moment at the gala launch. Exemplifying the art of pole expression, she certainly kept the crowd in the dining room enthused and enthralled.

This night also celebrated the official launch of Samadhi Retreats’ latest addition to their four other established restaurants, Neo Global Tapas Restaurant & Luxe Lounge. Located in the heart of Kl City along Jalan Sultan Ismail (next to Tamarind Hill), Neo is a stylish restaurant and bar with an uber-cool concept inspired by nature. The domain boasts a galactic bar – the longest one in the city – and rendered by professional Scandia-mixologists showcasing their creative cocktails of strangely delicious sorts. Samadhi’s own group Sommalier Yuhei Teraoka, a popular and well-reputed Japanese wine specialist in Malaysia who has close to 400 labels, and eventually 50 by the glass, to be enlisted for NEO as well as all the group’s restaurants. The star of the night was also NEO's multi-award winning Food Designer, Canadian-Thai Chef Thiti Thammanatr who prepared interesting, flavor-layered neo-cuisine that left everyone famished for more!

International DJ Tony Montana as well as DJ Haze (who is also NEO’s Resident DJ) kept the party rocking with their slick sounds of house, hip-lounge and chill-house groove till late night.

It was a special evening to celebrate fashion, haute gourmet and lifestyle, by bringing people with the same passion to a much coveted event by The Melium Group, MIGF and KL’s it-place NEO Global Tapas Restaurant and Luxe Lounge. There were just over 300 invited guests at Style Rocks!

MALAYSIA INTERNATIONAL GOURMET FESTIVAL 2009 (MIGF)

2009-11-03T12:28:00.000-08:00

We won 4 awards and bagged another 3 for excellence!

The month-long Malaysia International Gourmet Festival 2009 has finally ended, with a big bang for Tamarind Hill and the newest & hippest restaurant & luxe lounge in KL, NEO – both owned and run by Samadhi Retreats. Having bagged four festival awards this year, the group has proven their decade-long success in the Malaysian dining scene. Reputed for exquisite ambiance, quality fare and stunning locations, the group has wowed diners with their outstanding chefs and sumptuous cuisine, design originality and great service standards.

This is the 7th year Samadhi Retreats participated in the MIGF. In previous years, Tamarind Springs had garnered a lot of interests being a festival restaurant and had won the Most Creative Restaurant Display for 2004, 2006 and 2007.

At the advent of Tamarind Hill’s re-opening in the city after 2 years of relocation plan, and the birth of NEO which is a conceptualized restaurant-lounge that fuses gourmet, cocktails and music, the group decided to use the MIGF as a platform to launch the two restaurants into the dining scene. One very prominent feature of the new restaurants is their Food Designer. Chef Thiti Thammanatr represents both Tamarind Hill Restaurant and NEO Global Tapas Restaurant & Luxe Lounge. “I see dining as an art which consists of a fair balance of 3 most important elements: good food presentation, great ambience and of course ultimately the good taste. Tamarind Hill & Neo offer just the perfect balance of all these 3 elements and it gives me great satisfaction to be working with them” said Chef Thiti Thammanatr while proudly holding on to his trophies.

Originally from Thailand, Chef Thiti Thammanatr, the multi-talented chef moved to Canada at the age of 18, and began a hard but rewarding journey working his way through some of Canada’s most esteemed establishments. He was one of the few Thai chefs in the world to practice five-star Japanese cuisine at the renowned Suntory Japanese restaurant, which he then followed up with working at the Canadian Pacific Hotel Waterfront Centre Hotel as their Chef de Partie.

NEO Most Innovative Cuisine Award

Every year at the MIGF finale gala dinner, the Chefs’ Charity Auction is a ritual. This year, Chef Thiti Thammanatr had successfully raised RM8,500 for Tamarind Hill and RM10,000 for NEO, which will be donated to Mercy Malaysia, an international non-governmental organisation that provides medical relief and sustainable health-related development for vulnerable communities.

These are the awards Tamarind Hill and NEO had won for 2009 :

Tamarind Hill - Most Outstanding Dining Ambience 2009

- Most Creative Restaurant Station 2009

Tamarind Hill Most Creative Restaurant Display Award

NEO - Most Innovative Cuisine 2009

- Most Creative Festival Menu 2009

NEO The Most Creative Festival Menu Award

NEO also received the Award of Excellence for the Most Creative Dining Experience, the Most Creative Restaurant Station at the Gala Launch and was nominated for the highlight-award of the evening, The Golden Cauldron award.

“Both Federico and I are so very proud of our team in Tamarind Hill and Neo who had worked so hard and smart to bring our restaurants to where we are today. What better reason to celebrate our 10 years in the industry! And I believe the sky is our limit. Gourmands out there, you really have got to journey with us on the ultimate 'fly & dine' experience. Be our Neo-Aerial Gourmand!" said the Creative & Marketing Director of Samadhi Retreats, Maple Asaro.

POLE IDOL

2009-09-25T20:00:00.000-07:00

POLE IDOL is geared to promote pole dancing as the new phenomenon in dance and fitness. This acrobatic sport, undeniably a beautiful art form, has recently captured the interest of many Malaysian women as well as men. This competition is therefore an exciting event for all, but essentially an eye-opener!

The Pole Idol champion will represent Malaysia to compete at the upcoming Asian Pole Summit in Singapore .

Over RM10,000 worth of cash and prizes to be won!

Date & Time

LIVE AUDITIONS : Oct9 & Oct10, 2009 (9pm)
GRAND FINALS : Oct24, 2009 (9pm)

Venue
NEO
(19, Jalan Sultan Ismail - opposite TGIF/next to Wisma KFC)

For those who wish to compete, please contact Maple Loo of The Hanging Garden at mapleloo@gmail.com or TIME-OUT magazine at Tel: +6 03-2166 6650

As for the rest, come and enjoy the show!

NUDE at Mandi-Mandi

2009-08-21T19:56:00.001-07:00

26 July 2009 : 4pm to 11pm

A party for the creative community in Malaysia, it was a night for the friends of the arts. This was the 2nd congregation of NUDE, put together by Mushi Mushi. This time in the urban jungle setting of Mandi-Mandi. So there we had it, our own mini version of the rainforest world music fest in our backyard!

The evening was a fusion of indeginous musicians, including digiridoo players + percussionists, integrating song and instrumentation by orang asli women (a special performance with the talented, awe-inspiring Anteras all the way from Magic River)

And electronic dance live music with Haze - flanked by an ethnic-inspired pole dance performance by Maple herself.

The dry pool at Mandi-Mandi was filled with guests chilling out on the deep end, lounging on benches and pillows, with musicians on the other. Guests also feasted from pizzas & pastas to Tom Yam & Thai salads and could have almost every drink under the sky.

Il Tempio was transformed into an art gallery.
Thanks to Brandon, Justin and Manjit for all these great photos!

Look out for the next NUDE party! Send us your email and we shall make you a NUDIST;)

Tamarind Hill's Official Launch Party

2009-07-18T20:25:00.000-07:00

FINALLY.... WE HAVE ARRIVED.

After being opened for 6 months, we feel it's now time to throw a big party to officiate our re-opening:) So welcome to Tamarind Hill.

Distinguished guests, our family and some of our closest and dearest friends, many whom we’ve not seen in a while; some have even flown in from Bangkok, Bali, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka.

We can’t thank you enough for choosing to spend this night with us. It was wonderful. Everybody was just so beautiful.

This year Tamarind Hill is 10 years old. What better reason to be back!

A couple of years ago we had to close Tamarind Hill at the old property in Ampang to make way for a housing project.

So we looked and we looked and then we found this gorgeous spot. There’s really no other more perfect place to put Tamarind Hill we thought, to have it sitting on a hill like it should.... Better still, it’s in the heart of KL. Again, we're opportuned to create an environment, an oasis in the city where people can escape to. This is just perfect!

So it wasn't a hard decision to make….we knew we were gonna make this place ours. But then we had to wait. Now finally after 2 years today, Tamarind Hill is reborn.

In those 2 years, Federico and I had spent quite a bit of time in Thailand again, searching, sourcing and researching. Everything from food, architecture and design ideas to people.... in anticipation of a far better Tamarind Hill than it ever was. And this is usually the part we both love most – the process of creation, working the magic.…

During this phase, there was really no place else we’d rather be but Thailand, which we feel so home to and really, Thailand is where our heart is. Plus all the fun! Shopping and eating and connecting with the Thai people... there’s no place like Thailand.So there we have it, we found everything and everyone that forms the very essence and the core of the new Tamarind Hill we have today.

The entire restaurant was designed and built by Federico himself, decked out with my obsession with hilltribe art and crafts, the restaurant is therefore a slice of our personal experience and true passion.

However, the real star of the show really, is our new cuisine. You’ll never imagine Thai food can taste and look like this! 10 years ago, we also brought Vietnamese cuisine to you. Today we bring you Burmese. Guests sampled party portions that night but they shall return to embark on the full-on experience with our Chef Thiti's creations. His cuisine, best classified as Thai with a twist - Thai & Burmese food revisited.

Some of our guests went home with superb lucky draw prizes too! First there were the RM100 dining vouchers then it got better...

Flight-inclusive stay at 3 stunning Relais & Chateaux hotels in Asia Pacific : Bangkok (The Eugenia), Chiang Mai (Rachamanka) and including our very own JapaMala Resort in Tioman.

It was Cyndy's lucky night, thanks a million to www.nesrinmarketing.com for their gracious sponsorship of two complimentary return air-tickets to Bangkok, and of course the world-class boutique hotel The Eugenia for their one complimentary room-night stay:)

As the saying goes, be careful what you wish for.....Michael finally got his chance to go to our JapaMala Resort in Tioman. Lucky bugger, we had just opened our biggest, most opulent 2-room villa called The Penghulu's House on the beach and that's where he shall stay for 2 nights! Thank you Berjaya Air, which will fly him and his loved one in for some serious relaxation jungle-luxe style.

How could Stephane Junca be left out.... Stephane is the Director of Development for Relais & Chateaux Asia who had picked out Cynthia for the grand prize!

TADA!!!! Thanks to Rachmanka Chiang Mai, the most exquisite and charming hotel we know in the north. Cynthia gets 2 nights' stay + a day tour to the Doi Suthep temple + an exclusive 'Tamarind Hilltribe' experience too! All paid for, thank you Paul. And thank you www.nesrinmarketing.com for flying cynthia & hubby there and back!
A million thanks to Euro-Atlantic, Calbeck, Cave & Cellar and Riche Monde too for their unremitting support always. There shall be more parties!

Appetizers TO DIE FOR - Il Tempio

2009-02-16T23:54:00.000-08:00

If you're dining in Il Tempio for the first time and don't know what to order, try these two contemporary dishes :

Porcini Mushroom cream with Truffle oil, topped with stewed spring onions, pan-fried Foie Gras & Vanilla salt

Beef Carpaccio sandwiched in Parmesan Chips

Tamarind Hill LUNCH ESCAPE

2009-02-16T23:50:00.000-08:00

Tamarind Hill - Hillside Rustic Dining Experience in the Heart of KL

2009-02-16T23:21:00.000-08:00

WE'RE BACK AT THE TOP!

Tamarind Hill restaurant, one of the first contemporary Siam & Burmese restaurants in the Malaysian dining scene, has made a come-back after a 2- year relocation plan. Marking its 10th year in business, Tamarind Hill is now re-opened on Jalan Sultan Ismail, one the most vibrant areas in KL city.

The winner of the industry accolade for Best Asian Cuisine by The Hospitality Asia Platinum Awards for 2003-2004, today Tamarind Hill is set on one of the most spectacular and exclusive private hill top properties in the heart of Kuala Lumpur. A stand-alone historic colonial house (previously Scalini’s restaurant), diners can ‘walk up an appetite’ along a flight of stairs lit by flickering oil lamps at night.

The design concept of the restaurant maintains Tamarind’s trademarked rustic-luxury dining experience within a green ambiance, against the spectacular backdrop of the modern business building landscape, including the landmark Petronas Twin Towers.

A great escapade, Tamarind Hill allows allowing diners to retreat to an oasis within the city. Natural elements like water and fire are used to create a subtle, understated drama in a contemporary Asian setting inspired by the hill tribes of Indochina, with extraordinary effect.

“Designing and building is my passion and it has helped me drive the different concepts of the Tamarind brand. Growing up in this region has influenced my work and in creating environments of rustic retreats where people can escape and enjoy the food and ambience at a leisurely pace,” said Federico Asaro, Founder of Samadhi Retreats.

From suburbia Ampang to city-dining, the restaurant remains popular for its fine Thai cuisine and continues to tantalize regular diners’ taste buds with high-quality ingredients plus its soft introduction to interesting Burmese dishes.

“We wanted to add a touch of difference to our menu, a modern twist to traditional Thai cuisine which cannot be found elsewhere in the city, especially with our mix of unique Burmese dishes which also comprise some influences from the exotic hill tribes,” said Maple.

An introductory menu however extensive, consists of their signature Red Tom Yam cooked with river lobsters among spicier or subtler soups of sorts, none less Siamese than others yet many are new to local diners. The line-up of Thai salads too includes green-chili-and-lime cured seafood for those who are familiar with it or mouth-watering lychee salad with roasted duck as well as the popular seared salmon & roe salad tossed with shallots and a zesty house dressing.

Curry-lovers will be bowled over by Tamarind Hill’s exquisite curry selection like Steamed Fish Roe Curry with Roasted Rice & Apple Eggplants, Wagyu Cheek Panaeng Curry, a milder Burmese curry called Mandalay chicken and potatoes, and of course the authentic green curry. The array of fish and seafood dishes come steamed or deep-fried and with Thai sauces of sorts; wine or butter and even steamed salted egg yolks.

IMPORTANT DETAILS :

LUNCH – LUNCH ESCAPE multi-course menu at RM35 nett or a la carte menu
DINNER– a la carte menu
BAR - Extensive wine list + creative cocktails & mocktails, imported sodas, flower & herb teas, gourmet coffee
SPECIAL MULTI-COURSE MENUS (launching in March 2009) – Weight-Watcher’s Diet & Healthy-Heart Diet (paired with wines)

Kitchen times :
Lunch – 12 to 3pm
Dinner – 6pm – 10.30pm

Other details :
• Closed on Sundays
• Free WIFI

A Culinary Meditation at Il Tempio

2008-12-18T16:43:00.000-08:00

Snuggled at the edge of the jungle just a few minutes from the modernised city of Kuala Lumpur is soothing temple of comfortable blue walls and running waters. Living amongst the peaceful setting, however, are not praying monks but a fine serving of Contemporary Italian cuisine and a Picasso of food that makes the most meticulous food composition for the visiting diners.

Il Tempio means ‘the temple’ in Italian, and it is put together with structural and conceptual designs inspired by elements of Asian temples, an avid love of the owner’s, Federico Asaro.
The restaurant built itself around the natural setting and opens out to the neighbouring tropical enclave.The main dining area is the veranda, which is a replica of the ones available in the Thai temples for monks to pray in. Coinciding with the blue theme are cascading water walls and a staircase fountain, which during Valentine’s Day, waiters set up tables in to serve food to the diners. Il Tempio is also equipped with an open concept kitchen, where diners can watch the house chef Daniele Sarno, going at it with all his live cookery action.Although still considered a young one in the culinary industry, the 28-year-old Daniele Sarno is equipped with vast knowledge from his string of work experiences, covering from caviar and champagne specialities, and nouvelle French cuisine, to brick-oven pizzas and pastas, and fresh meat and grilled seafood.

Coming from a family that travels constantly, Sarno picked up his aspiration to become a chef, and inspiration in his complex food creations.“I like to experiment the different food available to the different cultures around the world,” Sarno said. “With that, I try to work it into the Italian cuisine I have grown up with.”“For me, life is all about being passionate of what you do,” he added.“My philosophy in being a good chef is to love what you’re doing. Be prepared to spend hours – even days – in the kitchen if you must to get the perfect dish right, and don’t be afraid to break traditional boundaries to come up with something better.”

Il Tempio on Virtual Malaysia. Read on. Great writing!

Tamarind Hill is OPEN!

2008-12-15T17:05:00.000-08:00

Yes! We're finally ready to open for business. Dear customers and friends, we're proud to officially bring back Tamarind Hill after almost 2 years. Located opposite Equatorial Hotel or Wisma MBF (Fitness First) on Jalan Sultan Ismail, you'll see a flight of 52 steps leading to a house on top of the 'hill'.
Walk up an appetite to relish delicious Thai & Burmese cuisine, we're sure you'll appreciate our fabulous menu:) More so, the ambiance. The banner ad here tells all.

So, please come by anytime. We're closed on Sundays.

POLE DANCE DINNER & SHOW IN KL!

2008-11-23T09:47:00.000-08:00

Watch world-famous pole fitness and dance instructor KT Coates perform next Saturday night Dec 6, at Mandi-Mandi Restaurant, together with performances by The Butterflies of The Hanging Garden & Jitterbugs Swingapore.

Purchase your tickets NOW! Very limited seats left.

For more details, please contact me.

Il Tempio

2008-09-16T23:51:00.001-07:00

Imagine dining Italian in a fashionably rustic Asian ambiance?
YES! Inspired by Buddhist monasteries, Il Tempio literally means The Temple.

Tagged 'The Temple of Fine Italian Cuisine', Il Tempio depicts the magic in transmuting passions - gourmet, green space and a great philosophy to go with :
Chef Daniele Sarno from Tuscany whose previous tenure in the world-renowned one Michelin-starred Castello Banfi, arrived in Malaysia for the very first time with a heart filled with excitement, and since, a mind hungry for ideas. The endless possibilities of innovative style cooking with fresh local herbs makes this part of the world a young chef's playground.

His Jungle-Luxe Lunch Series comprises of pizzas, piadinis and hot Italian meals that are only available during lunchtime. In the day, Il Tempio is colored by the luxuriant wild and one who appreciates green space will find it typically soothing and quiet here.

Come dinner time and the restaurant transforms into a complete satiety where both cuisine and charm are but a satori.

Il Tempio may satiate the hunger of fans of Italian cuisine but for those simply looking for a little magic, quell not till sated and spent;)

Tamarind Springs : Rainforest Dining

2008-09-16T23:16:00.001-07:00

Depicting the all-tropical, rustic-Asian realm, Tamarind Springs has in years, been favored and preferred by those looking for a distinctively different ambience to dine in the city. You dine at airy treetop balconies that run perimeter just at the edge of the encroaching jungle.
Withstanding the fact that the restaurant is in fact 'in a natural forest reserve', guests can relinquish into the JUNGLE-LUXE enclave where real (yes, REAL not playback) croaks of frogs and sounds of crickets welcome you in, and out.

A bit of history
Tamarind Springs in the last 6 years has created a household name in the Malaysian dining scene. Its outstanding performance has not only won industry acccolade of sorts but also international recognition early this year. It’s the only restaurant in Malaysia selected as member of Relais & Chateaux hence recognized as one of the most celebrated names in the gastronomic world today, globally.

Close to 140 dishes, from signature creations of award-winning Grand Chef Somkhuan Wandee to humble dishes found in the villages of Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam, Tamarind Springs is a culinary experience many in KL are already familiar with.

Its interesting traditional Indochinese village-cuisine menu showcases some Laotian curries that don’t contain coconut milk, Cambodian curries which are steamed not boiled and the light and usually non-spicy Vietnamese selction, which like Chinese cuisine only French-influenced.
A few dishes that make my (and therefore, yours too) mouth water are :

Khmer Fish Amok Curry
Laotian Chicken & Coconut Soup
Vietnamese Caramelized Chicken
Laotian Steamed Snakehead Fish in Green Chilis, Garlic & Lime
Steamed River Lobster in Tamarind Springs' Spicy Sauce

Tamarind Hill is RE-OPENING!!!!

2008-09-16T22:22:00.000-07:00

Very, very soon. We finally found the perfect spot after 2 freaking years! Well, better late than never.... as the saying goes, good things come to those who wait;)

Can't disclose much at the moment since works at the site is still commencing, but the new Tamarind Hill will be fabulous. To all the fans of Thai fare, supporters and regular customers and all of you who've written in to enquire about our relocation plan, it's finally happening.

I promise to keep all of you posted regularly. If you'd like to be invited to our opening party, email me at mapleloo@gmail.com

More to be posted here. Do come back here to check from time to time!

SAWADEE- KHA!!

New Straits Times : Jungle-Luxe Dining in KL

2008-07-30T01:08:00.000-07:00

The Apsara - Tamarind's Artistic Spirit

2007-01-23T21:16:00.001-08:00

2006 - This year marks Tamarind Springs' 4th participation in the Malaysia International Gourmet Festival (MIGF). We look forward to this event ever year enthused, charged and motivated to be a part of such a world-class event. As the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together. We're most honored to share the same plane of prestige with Malaysia's finest restaurants.

The gala launch is always sensational....yet challenging I must say… very challenging. With acts harder to follow each year, we got to tirelessly search for a new inspiration to showcase and more essentially, to compete.

We however, never strayed away from that one basis that shaped our creative core – the apsara, our artistic spirit.

The Apsara is a divine goddess in ancient Cambodian folklore. She is embellished on the walls of all the Angkorian temples.

The Tamarind brand has adapted her to be the restaurants’ icon as a symbol of charm, charisma and class. Making the Apsara as the ‘face’ of Tamarind is also our way to honor the mystique of Cambodia.

We believe food and art is one undivided affair hence the endorsement of this lattice of CUISINE & CULTURE as the ultimate Tamarind experience.

Where creativity is definitely not confined to the kitchen, the marrying of Cuisine & Culture is often dramatized through dance, music and the arts.

At the MIGF 2004, for the first time, we brought the Apsara to live….Alive and towering at 12ft as a surreal being glamorously draped in gold and adorned in glittery gold and silver jewelry – as she appears in the legend.

Incorporating décor to illustrate our Jungle Luxury concept, we brought our jungle. With finishing touches of sorts, Tamarind
Springs’ display was the highest and most dramatic. And the Cambodian + Laotian cuisine we displayed for all to devour had drawn crowds the entire night. We, therefore had gamed very highly on the jury’s scoresheet.

This year, we worked on a variation. I was terribly inspired by Madonna’s Confession Tour so the idea of a high stage was to be materialized. Instead of one Apsara, we had four – in the legend, they always appear in fours anyway…. So, perfect.
Each dancer disguised as an ancient Khmer deva – the Peacock Goddess and The Apsara flanked by 2 heavenly angels.

Tall red rectangles were towering with scrumptious Khmer cuisine enhanced by the misty effect of dry ice. Very sublime. Since we never leave home without our jungle, we created what seemed more like a jungle heaven with food, wine and angels in the sky! Seeing all that finally come together so seamlessly was PARADISE. All the frustrations and anxiety disappeared instantly, like magic.

The preparation? Can you even imagine? Our building team constructed, Chef cooked, service staff served. My department is of course the designing of the ‘stage’, choreography and those elaborate costumes & accessories... gosh, from the sourcing of stuffs to the sewing, the details….definitely not funny. Not funny when it’s a Do-It-Yourself quest.

Our objective was to transcend the totality of a Tamarind experience. What’s really tough is, to do that within that given time and space sure felt like having to build Rome in one day!

Nevertheless, we did more than just merely pulling through – WE WON AGAIN!

At the finale dinner a month later, Federico stepped up to receive Tamarind Springs' proud victory.

Many ask, "So what's Tamarind Springs gonna do for the next MIGF?"

We wonder too.
Will just have wait till the instincts kick in!