Bila Orang Tak Selalu Blog, Blog!

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Hari Raya. Gaza. And Promises.

Proximity in miles

Distance in silence

Words unsaid

Affinity unsurfaced

A self-pacifying laugh

A genuine sigh

A milestone laden with hope

A promise broken

Disproportion

Uncertainty, Faith

Noise, reactions, Friendships

Love & War

Filial piety

Hari Raya

Hari Gembira

Hari Tertanya-tanya

-FR-

This post was originally penned as a Facebook status on 29th of July, 1st of Islamic Month of Shawal

Friday, October 24, 2014

Heart of Mine

Here take it
This heart of mine
I humbly present to you
Gift-wrapped in a box
With ribbons on top

Here take it
This heart of mine
I humbly propose to you
To take care of this
Heart of mine

Here take it
This heart of mine
For you to share your joys and sorrows
In better days and worse
It will accompany you, this
Heart of mine

Oh no dont take it as a sign of weakness, no
It's rather a sign of confidence, that you will love and cherish it,
This heart of mine

It is a stronger one
This heart of mine
Throbbing to take and give for what it's received
Tender and in need of your love and care
Yet ready for harnessing, to give you strength and affection

Here take it
This big heart of mine
I humbly present to you
Gift-wrapped in a box
Peppered with sincerity and singing prayers for you
With ribbons on top

-FR-

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Menyelami Erti Tawakkal

Kelmarin, sahabat lama dari kolej, Dr. Aqtar Mohamed meletakkan sebuah post di facebook berkenaan sepotong ayat nukilan Jim Rohn, pakar motivasi Amerika yang berbunyi “life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change”. Aqtar mengaitkan hal ini dengan konsep tawakkal yang diamalkan oleh orang Islam dan Melayu di Negara kita ini. Katanya, “Tie your camel first, then place your trust in Allah!” merujuk kepada seorang pemuda yang ditegur Rasulullah masuk ke masjid tanpa mengikat untanya di luar terlebih dahulu (Tirmidhi) atas alasan bertawakkal kepada Allah. Beliau juga mengingatkan kita tentang kisah para Muhajirin yang dilarang oleh Baginda Rasulullah s.a.w. untuk menerima segala harta, aset termasuklah ladang-ladang kurma orang Ansar jika tidak meletakkan usaha sendiri. Teringat pula ketika zaman persekolahan dulu, sebagai ahli jawatankuasa keceriaan kelas, saya ditugaskan menghiaskan kelas dan salah satu potongan abjad kad manila berwarna-warni yang ditampal pada dinding berbunyi “Usaha + Tawakkal = Kejayaan”.

Ya, memang benar yang acapkali, perbincangan tentang tawakkal diletakkan pada sudut usaha yang perlu mengingiringi tawakkal itu sendiri. Sudah banyak ceramah dan artikel yang kita baca yang menekankan kepentingan usaha di sebalik tawakkal itu. Saya sedia akur dengan realiti ini; secara amnya bukan sukar untuk kita fahami. Namun, selepas kita berbicara persoalan kepentingan adanya usaha itu, bagaimanakah kita mendalami dan menjiwai roh konsep tawakkal itu sendiri? Konsep berserah kepada Allah itu sendiri? Bagaimana pula mengetahui sampai manakah usaha yang diperlukan sebelum kita menerima kegagalan? Bagaimana mengetahui usaha yang dilakukan itu di jalan yang betul? Selepas berusaha dengan bersungguh-sungguh, salahkah kita untuk menjangkakan usaha kita itu sewajarnya membuahkan hasil yang diingini, secara tidak langsungnya mengurangkan elemen tawakkal kita itu?

Sejak kecil, dalam pembelajaran awal sehinggalah ke peringkat ijazah, kita diajar usaha tangga kejayaan, tetapi harus diselit doa dan secara mutlaknya, tawakkal kepada Allah. Dengan badan yang sihat wala’fiat, makan yang cukup dan latihan yang mencukupi, konsep usaha dan tawakkal mungkinlah bukan sesuatu yang sukar dikecapi dalam hal ini. Kita berusaha sebaiknya, dan hasilnya diserahkan kepada Allah. Jika keputusan tidak memberangsangkan, kita dididik untuk menerimanya sebagai taqdir Allah, dan hikmah di sebaliknya tersedia. Saya terfikir sejenak; mungkinkah lebih sukar menerima keputusan ini, jika kita ditimpa penyakit berpanjangan, atau berada dalam keluarga berpendapatan rendah yang tidak mampu mengenyangkan perut kita atau menyediakan kelengkapan sekolah yang optimum untuk belajar? Mungkinkah kita lebih cenderung menyalahkan nasib dalam konteks ini? Salahkah jika kita lebih sukar menerima konsep tawakkal itu?

Terdapat dua lokasi di dalam Surah Al-Azhab, Allah berfirman “... dan kamu percayakanlah (bertawakkallah) kepada Allah; cukuplah Allah sebagai wakil.” (33:3 dan 33:48). Cukup mengesan kalimah-kalimah ini sebenarnya, kalau kita fikirkan. Cukuplah Allah sebagai wakil. Bukan mak ayah kita. Bukan teman paling rapat kita. Bukan adik-beradik kita. Kerana apa? Kerana Allah mengetahui kesemuanya. All-knowing, Al-‘Alim. Dia mengetahui apa yang mereka tidak tahu tetapi kita tahu, dan juga apa yang kita sendiri tidak tahu tentang diri kita.

Lewat ini, pengalaman peribadi tambah-tambah lagi sebagai seorang dewasa yang seharusnya matang, membawa saya kepada 1,001 tanda tanya. Sejauh manakah usaha kita dalam keadaan yang benar-benar sukar? Bagaimana pula bila berhadapan dengan perkara seperti jodoh, mendapat kontrak dalam sebuah tender, ataupun menjalani hidup dengan ibu mertua yang menyukarkan misalnya? Dalam kata lain, bagaimanakah jika kemahuan kita itu perlu selari dengan orang-orang lain, atau faktor-faktor lain, sekaligus mengecilkan ruang yang tersedia buat kita meletakkan usaha kita? Contohnya, dalam mencari jodoh, walaupun dengan mempersiapkan diri di samping usaha mencari, seorang pasangan yang dapat menerima kita masih diperlukan dan kelulusan segala macam pihak masih boleh menjadi halangan. Dalam memenangi kontrak pula, walaupun kertas kerja yang diusahakan pagi petang siang malam sudah menepati piawaian dan harga yang diinginkan pelanggan, pesaing yang menggunakan kenalan dan kabel masih boleh menghalang kejayaan kita. Bukankah faktor2 luar ini mengerdilkan usaha-usaha kita?

Mari kita cuba mencari jawapannya. Bagi mereka yang kerdil tingkat ilmunya, dhaif kefahamannya, dan naik turun imannya seperti saya, marilah kita meneliti bagaimana kita dapat benar-benar menyelami erti sebenar tawakkal itu. Dedikasikanlah salah satu daripada sesi muhasabah diri kita untuk memikirkan kedudukan tawakkal kita, sama ada kita sedang berduka dan merasakan semuanya tidak seperti yang diinginkan, mahupun ketika kita sedang bahagia dan segalanya berjalan lancar buat kita.

Pertama, kita kaji sejauh mana keyakinan kita pada qada’ dan qadar Allah dan kenyataan bahawa Allah itu wakil. Jika difikirkan kembali, tawakkal itu sebenarnya sangat sukar, dan pada masa yang sama, sangat mudah. Saya tertarik dengan kata-kata Suhaib Webb; “tawakkul itu ialah suatu kesedaran bahawa Maha Pencipta kita ada rancangan buat kita. Tawakkul itu juga ialah keyakinan hakiki bahawa rancangan itu, ialah rancangan yang terbaik.” Dengan mudah, saya kira kata-kata sebegini sudah dapat membantu kita meletakkan diri di satu tingkat tawakkal yang lebih tinggi. Carilah, apa sahaja sumber, petikan, hadith, dalil atau nas yang dapat meyakinkan kita.

Kedua, kita menggunakan ujian yang menimpa sebagai mengukuhkan tawakkal dalam diri. Di kala kita berduka, sakit, ataupun diuji dengan pelbagai halangan untuk mendapat apa yang dihajati, usaha mengingatkan diri untuk bertawakkal menjadi lebih sukar. Kita lebih cenderung menyalahkan nasib, merendahkan diri, meletakkan tanggungjawab ke atas bahu orang lain. Kita mencari ketenangan melalui pakar motivasi dan psikologi barat, kita merujuk self-help, novel-novel seperti “eat pray love” dan sebagainya. Tidak salah, kita merujuk kepada antidota-antidota sementara ini. Tidak salah kita berikhtiar mengubati penyakit. Tidak salah kita cuba memotivasikan diri melalui nasihat pakar-pakar psikologi. Tetapi, tiada ketenangan sebenar dan lebih berpanjangan kesannya, selain dari tawakkal kepada Allah s.w.t. Gunakanlah peluang kedukaan ini untuk memperkasakan tawakkal kepada Allah. Paksalah diri, untuk mengucapkan syukur di bibir, meredhai dengan ikhlas cabaran-cabaran yang menimpa, dan meninggikan lagi tingkat iman dan tawakkal itu. Nabi Musa A.S. tegar berdiri di hadapan Laut Merah, dengan askar Fir’aun yang mara di belakangnya, tanpa jalan keluar. Siapa pun akan menyerah kalah dalam keadaan begini! Namun tawakkal baginda terhadap Allah s.w.t. tidak sedikit pun pudar. Cabaran kita kalau dibandingkan dengan keadaan Bani Israel ketika itu memang tidak terbanding. Mengapa kita tidak cuba mengambil walau 20 atau 30 peratus pun keyakinan itu?

Tawakkal merupakan salah satu perbezaan paling ketara antara orang Islam dan orang bukan Islam. Orang Islam percaya Allah itu wakil. Orang Islam yakin rancangan Allah ialah rancangan terbaik. Orang Islam tahu, bunuh diri, putus asa, dan merosakkan diri sendiri, bukan jalan penyelesaian untuk kedukaan. Tiada ruginya kita cuba mendalami, menyelami dan menghidupkan kenyataan-kenyataan yang kita pun sudah sedia maklum ini. Jika sukar, cuba permudahkan. Iringilah dengan do’a. Allah itu Maha Penyayang, dan sentiasa mahukan yang terbaik untuk hambanya, walaupun kita merasakan diri begitu berdosa maka tidak layak menerima kasih sayangnya itu.

The Messenger of Allah (s) said: “If you trust Allah with the right kind of tawakkul, He will provide you sustenance as He provides for the birds – they go out in the morning with empty stomachs and come back in the evening with full stomachs” (Tirmidhi).

Wallahu’alam, Farhana Roslan

Saturday, October 27, 2012

BILA AKU JATUH CINTA- Syed Qutb

BILA AKU JATUH CINTA

Ya Allah, jika aku jatuh cinta,
cintakanlah aku pada seseorang yang
melabuhkan cintanya pada-Mu,
agar bertambah kekuatanku untuk mencintaimu

Ya Allah, jika aku jatuh cinta,
jagalah cintaku padanya agar tidak
melebihi cintaku pada-Mu,

Ya Allah, jika aku jatuh hati,
izinkanlah aku menyentuh hati seseorang
yang hatinya tertaut pada-MU,
agar tidak terjatuh aku dalam jurang cinta semu.

Ya Rabbana, jika aku jatuh hati,
jagalah hatiku padanya agar tidak
berpaling dari hati-Mu.

Ya Rabbul Izzati, jika aku rindu,
rindukanlah aku pada seseorang yang
merindui syahid di jalan-Mu.

Ya Allah, jika aku rindu,
jagalah rinduku padanya agar tidak lalai aku
merindukan syurga-Mu.

Ya Allah, jika aku menikmati cinta kekasih-Mu,
janganlah kenikmatan itu melebihi kenikmatan indahnya bermunajat
di sepertiga malam terakhirmu.

Ya Allah, jika aku jatuh hati pada kekasih-Mu,
jangan biarkan aku tertatih dan terjatuh dalam perjalanan panjang
menyeru manusia kepada-Mu.

Ya Allah, jika kau halalkan aku merindui kekasih-mu,
jangan biarkan aku melampaui batas sehinggah melupakan aku
pada cinta hakiki
dan rindu abadi hanya kepada-Mu.

Ya Allah Engkau mengetahui bahwa hati-hati ini telah berhimpun dalam cinta pada-Mu,
telah berjumpa pada taat pada-Mu,
telah bersatu dalam dakwa-Mu,
telah berpadu dalam membela syariat-Mu.

Kukuhkanlah Ya Allah ikatannya.
kekalkanlah cintanya.
Tunjukilah jalan-jalannya.
Penuhilah hati-hati ini
Dengan Nur-Mu yang tiada pernah pudar.

Lapangkanlah dada-dada
kami dengan limpahan keimanan kepada-Mu dan keindahan
bertawakal di jalan-Mu

( Syed Qutb )

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Sajak Pertemuan Mahasiswa – W.S Rendra

Matahari terbit pagi ini

mencium bau kencing orok di kaki langit

melihat kali coklat menjalar ke lautan

dan mendengar dengung di dalam hutan

lalu kini ia dua penggalah tingginya

dan ia menjadi saksi kita berkumpul disini

memeriksa keadaan

kita bertanya :

kenapa maksud baik tidak selalu berguna

kenapa maksud baik dan maksud baik bisa berlaga

orang berkata : “kami ada maksud baik”

dan kita bertanya : “maksud baik untuk siapa ?”

ya !

ada yang jaya, ada yang terhina

ada yang bersenjata, ada yang terluka

ada yang duduk, ada yang diduduki

ada yang berlimpah, ada yang terkuras

dan kita disini bertanya :

“maksud baik saudara untuk siapa ?

saudara berdiri di pihak yang mana ?”

kenapa maksud baik dilakukan

tetapi makin banyak petani kehilangan tanahnya

tanah – tanah di gunung telah dimiliki orang – orang kota

perkebunan yang luas

hanya menguntungkan segolongan kecil saja

alat – alat kemajuan yang diimpor

tidak cocok untuk petani yang sempit tanahnya

tentu, kita bertanya :

“lantas maksud baik saudara untuk siapa ?”

sekarang matahari semakin tinggi

lalu akan bertahta juga di atas puncak kepala

dan di dalam udara yang panas kita juga bertanya :

kita ini dididik untuk memihak yang mana ?

ilmu – ilmu diajarkan disini

akan menjadi alat pembebasan

ataukah alat penindasan ?

sebentar lagi matahari akan tenggelam

malam akan tiba

cicak – cicak berbunyi di tembok

dan rembulan berlayar

tetapi pertanyaan kita tidak akan mereda

akan hidup di dalam mimpi

akan tumbuh di kebon belakang

dan esok hari

matahari akan terbit kembali

sementara hari baru menjelma

pertanyaan – pertanyaan kita menjadi hutan

atau masuk ke sungai

menjadi ombak di samodra

di bawah matahari ini kita bertanya :

ada yang menangis, ada yang mendera

ada yang habis, ada yang mengikis

dan maksud baik kita

berdiri di pihak yang mana !

RENDRA

( jakarta, 1 desember 1977 )

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Best Man Wins

Sometimes
rain pours down
and the tiny million drops would make
the winding path wet, slippery and even longer.....but
some would still step on carefully
placing their feet one after the other
holding to the mist and searching for the rainbow
amidst the cold;
man who hold on to themselves
man who’d maybe down but never beaten
man who knows he’s the best, willing to be and knows that
best man wins.

Each times
rain pours down
and the million tiny drops would turn
into a sea of flood where we’d drown in vain...but
some would reach the surface
gasping the breath and swim for the shore
against the strong current that leads to nowhere;
man who’d die to be the best
never care for what others might say for he knows that
best man wins.

Fight
for the last battle you reach
to the last drop of strength
it is either win and taste the glory
or die... but know
that man won’t die regretting for the wars they fought
man shall rest in peace knowing
he’s the best
an each man who knows he’s the best;
wins.

Sunday, July 3, 2011

The 2nd Shop of Coffee Princess

A good year after is when i decided to start posting about Hoho cafe London again. I will never forget it as the first time, and place I've ever had Korean food. A good year after, I still as much a Korean-o-holic or Hallyu (which means 'Korean Wave'), and I speak it now to boot!

The second time I was there, i had dukbokki and vegetarian bibimbap.

Hoho cafe, is still, the best dukbokki I've ever had. Although to Koreans, the ones they had there was an improvised version, enough to satisfy their korean tastebuds being away from home. To me, I loved that they used massive spring onions (only those kinds were available), whole egg, good sweet and spicy Gojuchang (pepper paste) and fish cakes. The ones I've had so far in Malaysia had too much sliced chilies, onions and cabbage.

Unlike the ones I've had in KL so far, which seemed more authentic, the ones I had in Hoho cafe was nicely tangy, chewy, clean and simple taste, of a good size, and came in a nice helping. The only other dukbokki I find good was a BBQ flavored one in Street Cafe SS15 Subang Jaya. Gosh I miss it.

I also had bibimbap for the first time.
What I like most about it is of course the potent scent of sesame oil. For those who don't know it yet, aside from ginger, sesame oil is one of my most favorite ingredients. It has the most unique aroma and taste and creates wonders to your dish, taking it to a whole different level.

The key to good Bibimbap, which I then found out, is mixing well sugar, soy sauce and sesame oil to create those great side dishes, that you mix the 'bap' (rice) with. Each leaf, cucumber, carrot and beef/meat is well individually prepared with the sugar-soy-sesame oil concoction to create that mixed taste with the sauce you later mix with the rice.

Because it was London, I had no choice but to go for the vegetarian one.

I loved! that they cooked the egg undone, to give the yolky oozing sensation when you bite into it. Until this very moment, I am not good with handling the fried egg in my bibimbap.

Really miss hoho cafe, definitely one of the places i will head to first the moment I stepped foot into London again.

Thursday, June 30, 2011

My New Map!

I created my own map today! And it made me realize there's so much more for me to do and so many more places for me to go!!

Create your own travel map

Farhana has traveled to: Australia, Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Indonesia, Malaysia, Monaco, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, United States, USA States: California

Saturday, July 3, 2010

The 1st Shop of Coffee "Princess"

Assalamualaikum and hello all.

Feels good finally getting back on the "Bila Orang Tak Selalu Blog, Blog"-osphere after the most gruelling 2-3 months of exam preparations. Unfortunately (or not, for me) the 1 month break was long enough for me to actually start getting bored and back on the blogging mode. Haha.

Albeit this time, the title may seem pretty unapt, what with the absence of coffee or the fact that Seoul Bakery is hardly a coffee shop at all.

Being inside this half-food stall, half-hairdresser downtown (off New Oxford Street, Underground: Tottenham Court Road), I somehow got the expression it call itself Hoho Cafe, yet the sign outside says "Seoul Bakery."

In any case, I'm sure you know what I'll be talking about already, although for Korean Drama fans out there, the title of this post should already have given it away.

The FIRST time I was at Seoul Bakery, I had Sondoboo Chige. I was already crazy about anything Korean so finally being able to hold that long-ish round spoon and steel chopsticks I was euphoric, but secretly acted cool. Though I couldn't help mouthing every single Korean tune I recognized on the speakers- trying to make it obvious. It was so lame almost like a teenage crush. Except this time, on no particular guy.

Everything they serve here, after graduating from a few more Korean series, are mainly really basic, hawker-stall-like food. Bulgogis for example, is NOT on the menu. Although the Bulgogi and Hotpot craze has been going on wayyyy before I came to London back in KL, I REALLY cannot find a reason why I never had the opportunity to go even once, now that I think about it!

Seoul Bakery was more like, Bibimbap (Mixed Rice), Kimchi Chige (Kimchi Soup) and Ramyun (Ramen) type eateries. Which you can guess from the simple interior it shares with a Korean Hairdresser (I found that hillarious). But I guess it was a very Korean area- a few other eateries, (and my guess is dance/ cultural classes) that go on on the same block/ row of shops. Also, I can guess UCL-ians tend to find themselves there for a quick lunch. The 2 hijabbis we saw eating inside before we went in, also gave me a shot of confidence.

So sondooboo Chige, was this spicy clear but red broth soup, of Prawns, Tofu and egg. We loved it since it was rather distinct from the tasty, flavourful, spicy and sweet and sour and savoury and every other flavours that existed in the soups we usually have down in South East Asian region namely; Malaysian and Thai food. It was spicy yet clean and simple tasting soup, encouraging diners to concentrate on the ONE or TWO flavours that the dish wants to bring out.

They serve it with rice and a choice of Kimchi OR Seasoned (with sesame oil) Bean Sprouts. Which explains a scene in Cinderella Unni (Sister) where the stepmother asked her stepdaugther to "season" and "prepare" the vegetables for lunch, which before SB, I couldn't imagine how and what she meant. We will see in my 2nd post that they steam/ boil their veges, (rather than cook them like Chinese/ Malaysian) and seasoning them with, well.. seasonings; one of which is sesame oil. My favourite ever god's creation on the face of the earth.

To top it, we ordered seafood pancake, which I can't remember what its Korean name was. It was really to my liking since the egg changed texture to become rather creamy and well, a soggy but not-BAD-type of soggy. The squid and prawns just accustomed themselves so well amongst the insides of the omelette, and contrasting flavour of the green salad onions.

Overall I loved the whole idea, of good food and Korea. 2 of my favourite things in life. Was rather bummed that I didn't know about this place earlier or else my goal of being best friends and recognised weird customer would have been a more plausible reality.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

To Nadia, Bankside House, and 2007

Assalamualaikum and hello!
Now that my 2010 and London is coming to an end, I get nostalgic thinking about;

The food experience I've had
All the other experiences

Haha.

Of course, looking back at my collection of photos, I wondered when am I ever going to be able to share again the experiences I had at that moment in time. Sometimes, I felt that it was pointless, since the idea was about rekindling flavour, tastes and all the brohuahua bla bla ra ra lalas that were going on in my mouth at that time.

But this, Leon, Allegra, their amazingly refreshing "bird food" salad (I mean bird food in a nutty, bean-y, good way), is a taste I remember well.
THE MENU
We love how the menu changes with the season. It's like making healthy food high street fashion in catalogues. And the catchy sometimes lame names. Nice paper and art. The website might give some indication.

THE COFFEE:

One of the first coffees I had in London other than Starbucks, Costa, chains and styrofoam 60p ones on campus. Although my it didn't exactly make it as my #1, it probably does come up as high. ig hearty eat-in cup, cappucino as Nadia always have hers, and me Latte. Actually, come to think of it, I never really can decide what type Nadia is. Everytime, it's always a different thing. But I am not exactly a coffee connoisseur, so I ain't gonna ramble on and pretend to analyse after-tastes and all that shenanigan.

THE WRAPS:

Having limited choice, the only halal-ly edible wraps were these sweet potato falafel ones.

It's a bit bizarre really since some bites are so good- a melange of fresh flavours, somewhat sour+acidic, and contrasted with the creamy, smooth sweet flavour of the sweet potato falafels. Yet, there is distinct dryness texture that the flat pita that I can't quite say I like. That and the courgettes. Can't understand why they'd want courgettes in the salad.

THE TART:

Oh the tart. This post is all about the tart. It's OUR Leon thing. I think it was Nadia who took the risk. For a place boasting warm porridges, nutty grain salads, and low carb wraps; dessert didn't exactly come in mind. Until we dipped our plastic transparent forks into this darkchocolate tart. Literally FATLESS GOODNESS. Great texture, light base, and powdery icing sugar I think. Or probably sugar subs.

NADIA'S SALAD

Here's one of the designed salads we had. I think this was back in the Spring 2008 Menu. Hearty mix of nuts, beans, courgette and thinly sliced rakes of the most bizarre combinations of veges.

Oh and I just realised while uploading these photos, that a new Malay Curry is on the new Summer10 menu!

Although I doubt anything truly Malay would make Leon's healthy food catalogue, but heck we're going more international than we realise.

That's my Leon for you.. Sigh. I'll miss you LEON. :(

Instead of the Gym

Salam and hello!
So I wouldn't really call this "the next level" by any means, nor is it "technically" student cooking. CONFESSION: I got them from the supermarket, but to those who has had the benefit of seeing and tasting the pancakes I made, themselves, they would agree they do come out just about the same!

I have been contemplating to go to the gym and work out my exam fat, but if anything I have only been putting more on! InsyaAllah I'll try work my lazy bum off of this chair right after this post!
Anyhow, Aiza had strawberries (fresh) from Morrisons yesterday and I couldn't hep but to steal 2 coz I just think they'd look (and they certainly did taste) better. And the syrup, though it's not exactly maple- I can't find any natural ones here, they're all maple-flavoured and I don't particularly like the SLIGHTLY greenish or greyish texture it adds to the golden color of the burnt sugar- did the job.

I love putting together things like this. Too bad the whipped cream came out liquid, for some reason.

Hearty fattening breakfast indeed. It's a good thing, that unlike Nigella- no offence, she's brilliant- my mind gets a bit paranoid about having fattening sweet stuff disporportionately. I swear my heart is now palpitating again, I am not even making it up!

Sunday, April 11, 2010

"From Primrose Hill with Love"

Type Russian Tea Room on Google and the first two relevant ones will come; therussiantearoomnyc and Trojka, Russian Tea Room Primrose Hill. Since New York is hardly relevant, possible, nor affordable now or anywhere in the near future, Primrose Hill it was. It was the idea of a dear friend, whom I really should go with, but decided to give it a go now since another dear friend wanted to meet up. I was taking up the time of someone with a busy schedule, so NO, Noodle Oodle Duck Rice Bayswater was not going to be good enough.

Trojka looked just like another restaurant, smells of coffee and cake, american accents amidst the buzz of chatting crowd- but they did have a decent menu boasting Polish, Hungarian, Ukranian and of course Russian spread. My eyes obviously skimmed through ANYTHING that has any of the nationality-sounding words (above) and went pass things like caviar, smoked salmon on bread and poppy seed cake.

I was initially worried since the waitress seemed to be carrying mugs of coffee and carrot or cheese cakes. The interior was authentic enough. Funnily enough, the toilet TILING was in my opinion the "piece de la resistance." But overall atmosphere was nice and agreeable and authentic enough.

I don't know why but I didn't take many pictures of the restaurant. Maybe because I was too excited about the food.

I ordered Blinis, which was this all too typical buckwheat pancakes (mini pancakes)- they really did taste like pancakes!! Like those morning ones you have with butter and maple syrup.

But more of that later. Here's a picture of russian dolls they had behind the serving and main cashier counter. I got it off of google images.

So back and on to the food.

I loved my Blinis, I regretted only having ordered the small portion. There's really nothing much to say about them since they just literally taste like pancakes. The Blinis wasn't extraordinarily weird tasting or anything. In fact when I tasted it, I just knew that's exactly how it would taste like. Except for the little surprise I had about how much like ACTUAL BREAKFAST pancakes they taste like. However, it was the fact that the whole thing was put together was what I liked best. It's familiar tastes, but not tastes that you usually get unless you put a bit of effort of looking into food like these. It rather REMINDS and SUGGESTS you of tastes you're familiar with, and how it would taste of put together.
I hope I'm making sense.

What Hazwan had looked much more interesting, and definitely evoked interesting flavours.
What Hazwan had, on the other hand, was FAR from being able to expect the flavor just from looking at it.
He had Coulibiak- which really wasn't that hard a decision to make. It came at the top of the main meals menu.

Coulibiak - old Russian recipe salmon pie of mushrooms, spinach, rice & kasha topped with smetana, served with fresh tomato sauce.

Sematana is this nice refreshing sour cream but not-too sour and a bit chunky with bits.
The rice made the bite quite dry, so did the salmon. But with the sauce, the moist in a bite is more balances. And it was this taste I really cannot fathom as good or not. It's just weird. DEFINITELY not un-tasty or anything like that though. Even the croute/ pastry looked like the normal puff pastry you have, but turns out it really isn't.

To top it all off, we picked the only drink with the word "Russian" in it. Russian Tea. It came with honey, lemon and raspberry syrup. A thick black tea- definitely stronger than your english breakfast and yorkshire blends.

Nice refreshing late tea it was. Nice area too, Primrose Hill.