Le Comptoir du Relais Saint Germain, Paris

Our Sunday afternoon continued on......after tea, coffee, hot chocolate and cakes we ventured into to Le Marais part of the city for some shopping. Yes I know, judging fr the picture above, u could see who was the impatient one.

Look Right then Left and Right once again before hopping on the road. We were looking specifically for some vintage shops to purchase vintage stuffs of coz. Poor JS was tagging along, but he's really sweet for being our photographer for the afternoon :)))))))

Eric caught the eyes of a chick hahahahaha. Good shot hahahaha.

I've forgotten wat were we discussing. There's like so much to be discussed whenever one is around him. Of life philosophies to the next project and creations, feelings, thoughts, outlooks. Yes JS alwiz tells me that successful ppl talk about plans, where else the other group of people will just talk about other people. That's so true!!!

Don't u just lurve the Metro signange? So belle-epoque!!! Yeah simple things like this makes me smile. It could be the nose of aromatic coffee with buttery croissants, or the greenish nose of falling autumn leaves, to the intense beautiful smell coming fr the bakery, the sights of imperfect trees lining the streets, the damaged walls full of graffitis. I can't describe exactly what will make me smile, it's just so impromptu.

But most of all, I realised I lurve talking to myself. It's a habit since I was young. So I've been talking to myself, asking and answering my own questions. Most of the time it's so hilarious to receive response fr strangers who were also tourists themselves.

Monkey: "Oh my gawd.....this is so brilliant!!! When was this thing built?"
Stranger: "I think it's called the amphitheatre. Built around AD 90."
Monkey: "geeeee thanks for the info."

While hiking a certain tiny ancient hill
Monkey: "arghhhhh this is so difficult....I think I am gonna give up *huff puff*"
Old Stranger with walking stick: "Oh come on now young lady, I'll wait for you."
Monkey: "Hahahahaha thanks. Think I'm gonna sit on this rock and catch up with my breath, while my housemate must have already been up at the top laughing at me."


and for dinner, we decided to try our luck at the yummy bistro runs by the famous French MasterChef jury *since 2010* Yves Camdeborde. Known as the father of Bistronomy, he's quite a celebrity. However he has left the reality show in 2014 to pursue his business goals and dreams.

Le Comptoir du Relais is open 7 days a week and this was like our 3rd visit and coincidence has it that it's always a Sunday. To book a table on weeknights require reservation months in advance. No Kidding and this ain't no fancy restaurant. It's a bistro. Weeknights have got only one service/seatings which is at 8.30pm with no menu. So basically u eat wat Chef Camdeborde prepares in the kitchen.

While on weekends, they don't take reservations, so hundreds and hundreds of folks will queue up for a table here bcoz it's on a first come first serve basis. There's a food and drinks menu for both Saturdays and Sundays.

We must have been that lucky bcoz the moment we arrived, we got a nice table. It has been our lucky day so far....we managed to do and gotten watever we wanted on that day. Hehehehehehe.

Le Comptoir du Relais serves mostly biologic and natural wines. I must say the wine list is pretty decent and we found some beautiful bottles :))))

Foie Gras on toast. It was really good with specks of sea salt. Just enough and balanced. Creamie and rich.


a cold appetizer of roots vegetables, green tomatoes, cheese with a souffle on the side. Really refreshing to start off our dinner.

Another typical french bistro food - escargots. With lots of garlic butter and parsley. The taste isn't as wat u've imagined, it's just green with a good texture. And mop down those garlic butter with lots of bread :)))) yumsssss

Assortment of hams and gherkins...and yes more butter!!! hahahaha the butter here is just too good!!

Grilled lobster salad with crunchy green apples, avocados and lettuces. The lobster was grilled just right and slightly rare on the inside. Sweet and rich in taste, balanced with the sourness from the green apple. So lovely.

Service was really quick, friendly and precise!!! We were happy diners the entire nite hahahaha


our main course of crispy pork served with velvety mash. 
So so so awesome, the coarsely chopped parts of the pork were wrapped in its own diaphragm, fried in animal fats. I know really sinful but darn good!!!



we couldn't decide on the desserts so we chose the classics. Creme Brulee and Tarte Tartine!!!! Yumssss. Check out the crispy burns.....

Hahahaha they immediately bonded and got to have a pic together. The friendly head staff who was so fun and jovial. Singing and creating conversation with us.

When we were done with out dinner, there was still a long queue outside waiting for a table. It's not a big place but they certainly have big HEARTS and serve gusty French food.

It was full moon that evening!!! Truly our lucky day, and we walked another few more KM to burn off all the calories and wines *hic*

JS framed this pic so well with the tree branches, it almost looked like an eye :)))))

and we walked and walked and walked until it's almost midnite when we returned back to our hotel. We went home feeling contented for such a beautiful day spent together. However I must say the tummies were definitely way more happier....kekekeke.

I would suggest to visit Le Comptoir du Relais on weekends for dinner. Best time would be from 6.30pm onwards. If you would like to drop by for lunch, it's 7 days a week non stop service from 12 noon onwards. For weekdays it's non-stop until 6pm only.

Le Comptoir du Relais
9 Carrefou de l'Odeon,
75006 Paris, France.
Tel: +33 1 4427 0797
Nearest tube station would be "Odeon"

Brian C's Birthday @ The Red Herring

Peakie D, Brian C and Notti Monkey 

the 3 globe trotters who just got back home to KL. We lurve to travel...sometimes it's work, sometimes it's leisure but most of the time it's work *I think*. Travelling for work ain't fun seriously, but in life u gotta turn lemons into yummy lemonade don't ya? Since we knew that watever it is....we still gotta go and travel bcoz of that particular assignments, why not just go with a happy heart, pick up new languages, meet interesting ppl, taste new food but most of all LEARN. Life is all about learning isn't it? I learn everyday...even in my dreams.

so these 3 friends who love to travel finally got a date to congregate to celebrate Brian C's birthday. Setting dates or a date is mad crazy trust me. It's either has to be extremely in advance or last minute on that week itself. But I am glad we made it :)))

Brian C's new MCM clutch.......*ahem*

yes I lurve to touch and mess and toy around with ppl's properties. But this isn't so me. The size is good as a document or iPad folder. If you have nothing much to store, you could just fold the top down to make this clutch smaller and fits in your hands perfectly.


It's either I was messing around with ppl's properties or ppl's staffs busy at work in the kitchen. Filling meat into the casing with this awesome gadget - I dunno what it's called.


and ta-da!!!!! such cute perfection and it's all homemade with love :)))))


WHAT??? U mean u didn't prepare this dish for us????
Mean Xer got so stressed up with this "client" bcoz I ordered nothing fr the menu and everything off her menu.


Champagne and wines were already chilled and prepared in advance


Started off with a beautiful pork terrine. Everyone was so hungry including the kids, and all gone in seconds. Hahahaha.....We were like piranhas!!!!



Remember those sausages earlier? Now they are ready to be nom nom nom, full of hickory smoke flavours. The bite was crunchy and snap bcoz of the casing, followed by meat!!! REAL MEAT innit!!. Oh Chef Mean Xer, when are u gonna serve breakfast here? This is sooo gonna be wicked with eggs and bacons and coffee!!!!

Now you can order these beautiful pork sausages from The Red Herring. I don't know what's the price but definitely sold by weight. Definitely good to have some stashed away in the freezer and if u are feeling up to it, take them out and grill em baby!!!



we requested this simple grilled sweet pepper pasta again....not in her menu. With some extras added on top....toasted Ikan Terubok eggs on top....this is like the Malaysia version of European Bottarga *mullet egg roe*


Beautiful vegetable terrine with reduced balsamic. So pure, yummy and good texture. Natural goodness from all the vege balanced off with the acid from the dressing. If vege gonna be presented like this on the table, I am sure everyone will have some fiber every single day!!!


Last minute request of Giant Garoupa with homemade tomatoes. Simple yummy wholesomeness, but trust me, when things looked simple, actually it takes the most work, techniques and skills to prepare.


We ordered our pork chop to be charred....beautifully charred. Chef Mean Xer has got a lava rock char-grill stove so any food can be grill to this perfection. Crispy edges and beautiful moist juicy meat on the inside. Yeah usually if u charred it to this way it would have been dry but this wasn't. Need to learn her secrets.


the kids were so happy bcoz it's their kinda food!!!


Cheeses that landed less than 48 hours from London. It looks like there's a lot but everything gone as well.


Thank you to Dr. Epicurean for the cheeses. Nope he's not sleeping in this pic....working on the phone. I don't really know which timezone he's on. He's perpetually working 24/7 inclusive of weekends.


Peakie D and Lynd brought a really limited bottle of Nikka Brandy. We didn't see this when we visited Nikka factory in Japan.


Such a beautiful cake :))))
I wanna learn to bake and decorate like this!!!!

Happy Birthday my dear Brian C :)))) 

May u alwiz be blessed with many many many beautiful adventures and experiences, travels, great eats, wonderful ppl in your life and thank you for your friendship


Group picca.

JS it's not ur birthday, please stand aside!!! kekekekeke. Peakie D said he looked like Iron Chef. But then again the Iron Chef Mean Xer was trying to hide herself.

Thank you so much for accommodating to all my insane request!!! Promise next time I will be a good gal and order from you menu ok?

The Red Herring has officially opened for business. The menu is very focused, which is great so u won't have to worry of wat to order. Muahahahaha. I am now looking forward for her to open for breakfast on weekends.

The Red Herring
M-1-16 Plaza Damas,
Jalan Sri Hartamas,
50480 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 603 6211 1417
Closed on Monday