Coffee Break at Sukiyang Coffee by Hai Peng, Kemaman

My family and I were just returning home from our short holiday in Perhentian Island when we decided to make a pit stop at Kemamam to see some friends. Anizam and I have been friends since we were 16th years old. We both were staying in the same dorm back to when we were at Kuala Terenganu Technical School days from 1983-1984. We stopped by at her place in Kerteh and after some good quality times spent with her family and her large family of cats and kittens, we adjourned to Kemamam to reunite with another former school colleague at Hai Peng Coffee Shop. It was my second time having a coffee break in Hai Peng.

Kopi Tarik - most recommended

New outlet name as Sukiyang Coffee

Hai Peng Kopitiam is the famous coffee shop in Terengganu and most tourist who knew about the brand and the shop's existence would have their default pitstop whenever they headed to the east coast. Sukiyang Coffee by Hai Peng is located at PT 11283, Tingkat Bawah, Jalan Kubang Kurus, Taman Chukai Utama, Fasa 3, Kemaman, Terengganu. Should you lost in direction, just call their shop number 019-915 0923 for assistance.

Seafood spaghetti, looks yummy

Iced coffee and iced blended coffee

Sukiyang occupies a spacious corner lot and the interior is embellished with memorabilia from the past. The Hai Peng’s fan lovers often visited the place which is known for its famous coffee, from the basic kopi o’ to the fancier ice blended and Vietnamese coffee, both smooth and aromatic. You may order the curry toast, a simple assemblage of lightly crusted bread with sunny side up and a serving of curried potatoes on the side. Another famous one is the toasted kaya bun which was decent and best eaten with half boiled egg. But, my favorite is always the best tasted Terengganu style nasi dagang, usually served as breakfast.  

The best combination - Kopi O ice with Kuey Tiow

Our groups were there for dinner, hence what they ordered that night were mostly a western food, spaghetti's and char kuey tiaw as can be seen from the photos that I'm sharing here. While the shop is larger and to some extent, more comfortable, I still prefer the original Hai Peng shops which has been expanded too. The food and the coffee are a supplement to a good conversation, meeting old buddies from schools. It was what most matters when you hang out at a good coffee shops like this.

Nostalgic Ambiance

Here are more photos just to keep the memories stays remembered in this entry. And a beautiful quotes that comes with it "True friendship multiplies the good in life and divides its evils. Strive to have friends, for life without friends is like life on a desert island... to find one real friend in a lifetime is good fortune; to keep him/her is a blessing". Specially dedicated to Anizam, Fariza and Bob, ex-school mates of Terengganu Technical Institute 1983-1984.

Fariza and I when we first having a Hai Peng coffee at the old coffee shop (now expanded too) on 5th May 2011

Friends since 30 years ago

Lunch at Serai Pavilion

Lunch date: 16th September 2016

Nazhif had invited his large group of friends over to the condo before he flew off to Glasgow. It was on the 2nd day of eid-ul-hajj. Due to a late notice and eid mode celebration, it was difficult to find catering to entertain our last-minute order. My sister Roshayati was offering to cook for the event instead as another sister is coming down from Kuantan. The 2 sisters cooking combination has done great wonders as everyone, especially my husband were very pleased that day. Everything that we served, all gone and nothing left when the last guest leaves our condo at almost midnight. As an appreciation, I took my sisters and our daughters out for lunch at the Pavillion. They wanted to have western food and have chosen Serai Pavilion, a local food outlet that offers both locals and western cuisine.

Group photo for a start

It was my first time having a meal in Serai that was established by a Malaysian family who has passion in food industry that open their very first restaurant in 1990. They started off with Northern cuisine, infused a selected Thai recipes that are most prevalent in most northern homes and cookery. Due to overwhelm response on successful fusion, they have open another outlet in Subang Jaya. The second outlet was set up with a different twist of flavor, an east met west cuisine. In addition, they have developed a catering services that specialize in satay and other local delicacies. Good effort doesn't end just there. They aspires to continue introducing new concepts and ideas such as the case with Serai Pavilion. I fall in love at first sight when I first walked inside their lovable entrance, passing a neat seating arrangement right to the end of the restaurant. All photos inside are attached in this entry for you to see and review for yourself.

Spaghetti Carbonara, RM26 and Orange Blast, RM13.00

Serai Pavilion is one of the many chain restaurants under the Serai Group. Others are Serai Thai, Serai Satay Bar, Jibby Chow, Jibby East, Jibby & Co, and Serai catering for those who wishes to have private functions at their own place. Serai Pavilion is located on Lot 7.01.04, Level 7, Dining Loft. The meals are reasonably price, merely cost me less than RM300 for 6 persons, which include cakes and coffee. The staffs are genuinely friendly, service are really fast, no worries over lack of quality in the foods, sufficient portion for everyone and most importantly the ambience matches everything else. Definitely more visits in the future.

Grilled Honey & Lemon Thyme Chicken, RM26.00

Everyone's are in their mind for spaghetti except for my sister, who opted for a grilled honey & lemon thyme chicken. The grilled chicken is no doubt one of their signature dishes, well cooked and decorated. Maisarah opted for a dry (means non-creamy) spaghetti prawn aglio olio and as she seated infront of me, she allowed 2 prawns been transferred to my plate of spaghetti beef bacon. I'm so into adffogato these days. What I noticed is that many restaurant had presented the adffogato in different ways. The first affogato I had, was in Karachi Fine Coffee shop many many years ago . It was a mixed iced affogato in a big glass. Some served with a scoop of ice-cream and a coffee separately. But the best thus far is still in Delicious. 

Spaghetti Prawn Aglio Olio, RM26.00 and Minced Calamansi Soda, RM13.00

Spaghetti Beef Bacon, RM25.00

For those who has not been to Serai before and after reading my review, may see other menus worth trying in Serai-menu2016. There's a group of foreign ladies sitting across us ordered a local cuisines. They seems to be enjoying their food so much that tempted me to try again in future with my family. Among the local cuisine that worth trying is Nasi Kerabu and Nasi Ambang. Nasi Kerabu is the famous dish originated from Kelantan. The blue colored rice is a result when the rice is cooked with the leaf of butterfly-flea, commonly known as clitoria ternatea. In Serai, Nasi Kerabu is served with "Ayam Percik, another special dish from Kelantan, my hometown. Ayam Percik is a marinated chicken with flavorful spices. I would hereby recommend to all this special cuisine of Nasi Kerabu in Serai. 

Affogato, RM11.00

Happy tummy, happy faces... happy me!

In below photo is Maisarah, my 17 year old niece. In one of our family gathering I have mentioned to her that after my exam was over in last August, I shall reattribute my neglecting attitude towards people. That I shall look after everyone that knows and look upon me, I shall take them out for meals, inviting friends and relatives to my house, etc. In other words, I will start opening my door for people to enter. I will not let it shut down anymore. True to my words, that's what I've been doing when I'm not busy packing things from the former house. Another thing is that, I was donning a modest dressing that day too. Okay I hereby promise, I'll be good.. cheers everyone!

Maisarah, my pretty niece

Fresh flowers, alone at the end corner

Best seat choice for bigger group

Multiple choice of seatings with beautiful arrays of lighting

Serai Iced Tea, RM14.00

Our seat facing the oval mirror that became my wish list item for new home

Hijrah - Modest Dressing

Date: 7th October 2016

I wish to start the entry with verse 1-8 of chapter 20:Taha

1. Ta-Ha.

2. We have not sent down the Qur'an to you to be (an occasion) for you to be distressed,

3. But only as an admonition (reminder) to those who fear (Allah),-

4. A revelation from Him Who created the earth and the heavens on high.

5. (Allah) Most Gracious is firmly established on the throne (of authority).

6. To Him belongs what is in the heavens and on earth, and all between them, and all beneath the soil.

7. If you pronounce the word aloud, (it is no matter): for verily He knows what is secret and what is yet more hidden.

8. Allah. there is no god but He! To Him belong the most Beautiful Names.
Remarks: remaining verses are life lessons of the Moses. You may read the tafseer of this chapter in here "http://muslimmatters.org/2012/12/10/life-lessons-tafseer-surah-taha/".

Me before, 38 years ago and the present day

I'm feeling so blessed when I've been advised that my name was in the list for the Hajj next year. I went to check at the Shah Alam branch on 5th October 2016. Ever since that day, my heart's has been singing with zikrullah. With the secured place in hand, I have an ample times now to make preparation. Despite of anything, purification of heart is the most important things as performing hajj is all about returning to Him, heart and soul wholeheartedly. It's a priceless thing in the whole world. For the record, Allah has granted almost everything that I ever wish and not wish for when He knew that the only thing I desperately want is Him accepting me with purification of heart. Let me live in Barzah in peace, protect my body from been straightaway burned when I entered my resting place in my graveyard due to my past and future sins.

On the road to see Him, I have quite a number of resolution. Among those thing is to dress modestly. I want to be the most beautiful woman in the world that submit only to Him, the Quran 92:15 "None shall enter it save the most wretched".

There's this book I discovered from officialmizznina instagram and the paragraph that she shared are so beautiful soothing:-

"With your beauty you are better than the sun;

with your morals you are more sublime than the musk;

with your modesty you are nobler than the full moon;

with your compassion you are more beneficial than rain....

So, preserve your beauty with faith, your tranquility with contentment, your chastity with hijab.

Remember that your adornment is not gold, silver or diamonds, rather, it is two raka'ats at Fajr, going thirsty when you fast for Allah, concealed charity which no one knows except Him, hot tears that wash away sins, a lengthy prostration born of utter submission to Allah, shyness before Allah when inclination to do evil overwhelms you.

Clothe yourself with the garment of taqwa (piety) as you are the most beautiful woman in the world, even if your clothes are shabby. Clothe yourself with modesty as you are the most beautiful woman in the world even if you are barefoot. 

Beware of the life of the bewitching immoral disbelieving women, for they are the fuel of the fire of Hell." 

So I am now very much determine to dress modestly externally while at the same time reaching the sky my a purification of heart... Peace!