Sunday, September 24, 2017

Suki-Ya Shabu Shabu @Mytown Cheras shopping mall


Was introduced to my colleagues to this shabu shabu steamboat buffet restaurant @ Paradigm previously. This time we visited Mytown and IKEA Cheras to buy some curtain rails & also got there early for baby E to play at Ikea's Smaland play area. (foc of course haha). Come lunch time, we proceed to Mytown Level 2 which is also at same floor as Arashi Shabu Shabu. Not sure how good is Arashi , maybe next time can try out.


GPS location: 3.1350649,101.7124423

Parking of course is at carpark, which totals up to RM2.22 for our visit of plus minus 4 hours. I got the discount chop scan for my touch n go from the Ikea's cashier counter when making payment.



Here is the setup. Choose 2 base - we took kimuchi , a slightly spicy kimchi soup like base and shabu shabu which is basically a clear stock. Vinegar & the sweet spicy sauce is given as the condiments by default and each pax get to choose either lamb, chicken or beef slice - the main shabu shabu treat.

According to wiki, the Japs actually use uncooked egg as one of the dips. Take a slice of your meat, dip into the boiling soup until it turns and quickly take out and dip slightly into the raw egg and eat. Well, im not really that adventurous, so go into very classic steamboat style dip until it turn, wait a while to make sure everything's cooked and dip into the provided sweet spicy sauce or vinegar if i feel like it.



Vinegar on left , the sweet spicy sauce on right.


Here is a closer look at the pot before things get pretty steamy and soup is boiling. The veges and meatballs are all buffet style on the counter, feel free to grab as much as you can stomach. There is also a small sushi corner with ready made sushis for your consumption. The other side of the buffet counter is the soft serve green tea, chocolate or mixed of both ice cream machine.



We ordered chicken and lamb. Don't take beef so didn't try out. Chicken is pretty normal, lamb is nice and we are not limited only these 2x2 trays stacked together, order at will and fill yourselves silly.

I'm thinking this is pretty good treat after a long day burning carbs like a half day gardening, or hiking etc..then refill back your depleted energies through a sumptuous shabu shabu meal. like this one Pretty darn nice.


After all the things consumed, there is always rooms for a cup of ice cream to seal the meal. It's free for baby E and price per pax is ~RM35 , additional RM2 for weekend dining. The meal totals up on damage of ~RM81 including 10% tax and 6% service charge.

Not too bad given the unlimited ordering and veges/meatballs we can take from the counter.


Friday, September 22, 2017

Minor Reno - DIY Wall mount Fan Installation

Got a broken wall mount fan at my condo unit. Was looking around Old Klang Road and can't seem to find alot of electrical shops instead so many air cond only or car air con shop and tons of foodie shops. OKR ppl loves their air-con eh?

Anyway, I went back to Yat Sin Electrical @ Taman United which is pretty much 5 min away from the condo and they don't do installation service as what they told on my last visit there. So i came prepared with my tools and a ladder.

KDK wall mount fan


Bought the KDK wall mount which is their cheapest, and at one hardware shop brought one block of wire connectors. This type of fan has a power plug like those normal electrical devices used in kitchen, so need to DIY a little, cut off the power plug since my original wall mount is direct wired not via a plug.

Cost:
KDK wall mount fan : RM170
Wire connector block : RM1.50


Wire connector

Let's get started. Unpack, check everything is there.
The wall mount hook is not needed , just reuse existing mount already screwed to wall. Cut off the power plug.


Strip the cables of fan, make sure to switch off house power breaker.
Connect the wires together via the connector block.
Green to green, brown to brown and blue to blue. (brown/blue = neutral/live), can use the same AC power detector pen to test out whether the current supply is running before turning off the breaker.

Before visiting the fan shop, I actually tested that the cables are carrying current to ensure that my power supply lines are fine, and that the old fan unit is damaged.


From fan unit side.

From power supply outlet side.

Once connected, test out the fan unit before assembling the rest of the stuff. Back cover first, the round holder to keep it in place, then fan blades and its black holder. Finally the front cover, fit it in with a snap and secure by closing the plastic latch.


Minor Reno- Solid wood door cost

Another cost of wear and tear. One of the rooms door is broken, actually long overdue but this time the tenant managed to tear down the door. When they left, and i came back to inspect they managed to place the door back and it easily fall off upon touch.

After asking around and checking online, finally head over to Seng Kong Door nearby @ Jalan Puchong Batu 6. They don't do service for plywood door which is only RM78+. Meaning no transport delivery available as well. Installation is by their partner contractors sifu @ RM60. But with no delivery service it doesn't help at all.

End up need to go for solid door, which they can provide transport and since the installer is available today , i took up the deal offered.

Cost:

Solid wood door -cheapest quality  @ RM200
Transport cost @ RM30
Lock @ RM25
3x Hinge @ RM15
+GST of ~ RM16

Summary:

Adding up above material & transport damage is RM286.

Installation cost RM65 (paid him extra RM5 as he is pretty professional)

'Work pass/toll' cost RM30  - explained below.

Total damage is RM381. 

Now here is the unexpected part. Condo units i know they usually require paperwork for major reno. Went down to check with guard since Seng Kong shop guy called and ask whether they are allowed to work today. First guy said its fine since I'm owner.

When the transporter arrived, 2nd Indian guard appeared and said no. First dude is nowhere in sight now. Need paperwork and refused to let the lorry in. He had to drop the door at guard house and bring the door up to my unit, luckily not too far. Next the predictable issues follows when the installer arrives. He was not allowed to enter and work, again same guard causing issues. I came down and told him that it's only one door, still reluctant to budge saying he is doing his work only etc..

After some moments arguing, i asked him how we can settle this outside of management and he demanded RM50. Pretty outrageous, i refused and told him its too much. He replied that he has 4 guards to split to. This goes on for a while. I'm not going to send the installer home without getting anything done today. Eventually he settled for RM30 and asked me to drop it behind the guard house.

Not much i can do at the spur of moment, as i dont' have time to fool around with this bugger. So had to pay the RM30 'toll' fees from the security that we paid their salary for via management fees. Now for the post scenario thoughts, i will need to take some time and try to figure out how to take action. This is plain daylight robbery!

We as owners of the condo units being blackmailed and harassed by the guards entrusted to safe keep the residential.. There will be a retribution chapter soon, of that i can be quite sure of to make it happen with proper planning.

Not meaning to be racist but the transporter and installer both also commented that this kind of extortion happens everywhere in their daily work life when it's Indian guards others are okay, Chinese, Malay, Pakistani, Nepal or Bangladeshi.. That's pretty low and pariah man.

Anyway, today i get to accomplish all my objectives in a day.