Gathering Dinner at Zen

wow!! It has been half a month since I updated this blog with my most emo entry. I am not been kidnapped or murdered but my life just very normal for the first half of this month. I was trying to blog about something that took me 2 weeks and still can't complete it. But when everyone think that my blog is dead, I am back to share with you all the 'special moment' for me in this month. After about 1 month plus of working and stay at home during off day, finally I went out with my college mates on my off day. It didn't happen out of a sudden but after 8 emails were sent, we decided to have a gathering dinner on 15th October 2008.

7 of us (all guys) met up earlier in Sunway Pyramid to watch Mama Mia~ very nice movie. Even though you are not an Abba's fan, I bet you know how to sing all the chorus part of every song in this movie.

ps: if you still haven't watch this movie, there is a short concert after the movie ended.

After movie, we went straight to our dinner venue...

Zen, Japanese Restaurant in Sunway Pyramid

Our reservation is at 7pm because that is where everyone is available especially for those who are working in the office.

This is my first time dining in a classy Japanese restaurant or I should say it is my first time spending so much on 1 meal...haha

the corridor to our dining table

the long dining table with simple Japanese style table setting

we reserved the biggest 'room' in this restaurant which located right at the end.

the table setting...

the beverage and food menu

whatever the restaurant wants to present, the menu's first page tells it all...

for your information, 3 persons that going to have dinner with us is/was waiters in this restaurant. So we actually have a little of 'self-service' through out the dinner due to they are facing lack of man power and it is because 2 of them are having dinner with us instead of working. haha

3 on the left work/worked in this restaurant and the one at the right stones at home for 2 months.

JJ is the one who working full time as a part timer here now, so he sought of in-charge on everything. Charles is part time waiter here and he know bit as well while Brandon had his 5 months internship here ...So they will do the ordering while me and Jin just look at the menu and learn Japanese. haha

JJ and Charles thinking what to order

Desmond and Kok Foong looking at the menu

Kok Foong is working at next door, Sushi Zenmai...so he is spying on the competitor's menu. haha

we were joined by Tania and Anna after stoning for awhile followed by Stephanie who just finish working.

Anna, Tania and Steph (poser)

while waiting for others to arrive. We have some Edamame to starts off our fantastic evening with Japanese cuisine.

Edamame

I used to hate it because the skin is unchewable and until now I only know that we only eat the seed. Jakun me~ It is so addictive that we could have it for whole evening but we have to consider on the purpose we are here. Shashimi, tempura, sushi...and more!!!!

hungry people having beans while waiting...

after about 1 hour of waiting..due to heavy rain outside + traffic jam = Malaysian timing. Finally the other 3 ladies had arrived. I can explain why they are late, Chin Yi is working and got no public transport to Pyramid after reaching Subang by taking KTM, so Sher Yee and Shao Chian went back to pick her up even though already reach Pyramid. the end

after add in another 3 noise maker...we are ready to fire our order. Oh wait...the girls still not yet order and we know that girl choose food is as complicated as choosing husband. So we wait again..

after hours minutes of looking at the menu with JJ, Brandon and Charles' consultation...

we are ready to fire order!!!

Charles and Brandon with the captain order

while waiting for our food to come, it is time to update each others' life and for the girls, is camwhore time.

ladies that attend the dinner

and this is what I got...


I was surprised on how fast they can get the food ready. Just a moment later, trays and trays, plates and plates, bowls and bowls of Japanese food been served on our table. ofcourse, Brandon, JJ and Charles took over from the waiter to serve us. haha

Chicken Teriyaki
this should be the best teriyaki chicken I've eaten in my entire life


Soft Shell Crab Temaki


Dragon Maki
that prawn's head freaks Tania out when Chin Yi threw it to her...we had a laugh at that moment.


Cream Croquette
some of them misinterpret it to karaoke and thought we plan to sing K after dinner..lol


Salmon Sashimi

Soft Shell Crab
never taste like crab at all, but like it so much.


Wakatori Karaage
its fried chicken actually..nothing special and it does taste like KFC.


Stephanie showing off her over bend thumb with her Unajyu set


Sher Yee eating her soft shell crab temaki


Chin Yi posing with her Gindara Teriyaki Zen


Chef Yap with his Naveyaki Udon to Temaki Zen


Desmond and his trademark smile with his Nabeyaki Udon to California Maki


Tania with her Negitoro Dororo Don that the bowl is bigger than her head.


Anna with her Teppanyaki Zen


when I look again all the photos I took, I realise that I forgot to take photo of Shao Chian and the 5 guys which include me...damn!!!

I would not blame myself but the food infront of me..haha. Because after series of photo taking, those that we specially order has arrived.

you can choose to scream or faint when you see these photos...but I chose to eat them!!! (during that moment)

this is what we order for 5 of us.
Rokkaku Bento which consist 2 layers rack.

the first layer consist of ika and salmon sashimi, takitori kushiyaki (satay look alike thingy), tempura and ikura (huge fish eggs)


the second layer have sushi rice, ikura, miso shiru, chawanmushi, kobachi and hotate kushiyaki and saba terriyaki.


then we also ordered Zen Maru Bento, a bigger and classier set compared to the previous one..

this set have tempura too, but its not normal tempura but salmon tempura, besides that it also have salmon, ika and tuna sashimi, kobachi, hotate kushiyaki and a piece of unagi.


it also comes with chawanmushi, miso shiru and variety of top class sushi.

Besides food, what is best to go with Japanese food other than O-cha???

Sake anyone??

Otokoyama Junmai

We ordered a warm sake because it was raining out there. This should be my first time drinking sake and it does taste like white wine.

the guys cheers for good future

at this point, I was trilled with the food lining along the table...first time I am able to experience those rich ass dining style, whole table full with classy food and there are Japanese food!!!

from sake to whatever it is...

after about an hour of eating non stop, finally we slowed down the eating part but continue the talking part...

we did laugh, but somehow didnt really enjoy the interacting part due to the shape of the table. So, 5 of us were isolated on 1 side and its hard to talk to those who sit on the other side unless we move our lazy asses from our seats.

after a while, the nightmare arrive and all of us wake up from our O-ishi dreamland.

the bill...

for those who have no idea what number to buy for this week, try 8787...if some how you win something, I want 20% of what you get. haha

as I said, we have our personal waiters to provide us the so called self service and JJ is ready to provide us the full service. No, I am not talking about Scrappy Coco's after hair cut bing bang boom. He just help out to count how much each of us need to pay and collect the money from us.

JJ doing the culculation

JJ collecting money while Brandon and Charles collecting plates and bowls

because we have these 3 who work/ worked there, we got our dessert f.o.c.

Itachoco Monaka and Macha Monaka

after having our dessert and settle the bill...

we kan-pai~
cheers for March 2006!!!


the ladies...from shortest to tallest. (this line up never change since semester 1 until now)

the guys, still very crazy and always do stupid stuff when comes to photo taking...

then a series of group photos which dont really turn out well...


although just 2 months ago since we last met in the exam hall, but seriously miss each and everyone of them due to the past 2 and half years together. Rushing assignments, stoning in cafeteria, argue during operations, laughing together in class room...etc etc etc.

wonder when will us meet again like this, even though most of us are in KL but most of us are working and have our own life. Its getting more difficult to gather around especially when some of us decided to fly to other country. Hopefully before that happen, we can meet up again and it should be a longer gathering compared to this one...

it is costly but I really don't mind spending that much for a special occasion like this, not that I am always craving to dine in classy restaurant. So, hopefully next time will be another nice dinner.

after a wonderful evening, we left this room and back to our own life once again...

all the best to every one, may a wonderful journey aheads of you and have a successful life.

take care my friends

ps: I did not memorise all the dishes' name but got them from JJ. haha