Going to work with the little girl

It seems that Family Day has become an annual event in my company. They organized it again this year, on a Wednesday afternoon when kids are off school. When I told her about it, she immediately shouted : "Yes, I want to go to work with mummy!"

On the way to my office, to my surprise, she yelled "I have been here!". I'm not sure if she really remembered that she had been here last year, but hubby was convinced. We went to every offices and said "bonjour" to most of my coworkers. She was shy at the beginning but was greeting everyone later.

And then it came the highlight for kids : the snack time! She asked for drinks and cookies, and had no shame to ask for candies later.

We then went to my new office and met up with coworkers who did not work on Wednesday (so that they can take care of their kids at home), but decided to come in to show their kids around. Coincidently one kid was born on the same date as her but a year younger, who was as tall as the little girl. Ok everyone agreed that she is short compare to average kids in France, she has certainly got my gene on this.

We then lingered around my desk while I was checking emails. She ran around looking at people, everyone was kind to her. When I suggested that we should leave for home, she protested :"but I like here!". And then she asked:" Will your boss pay me since I'm working here?". Lol.

Here is the little girl who sat in the parking lot refusing to go home. I guess she had fun.

Bilingual road : Learning at her own pace

I was chatting with my coworker about kids. I was telling her my worries about my daughter's seemingly weak command in French compared to kids her age. She suggested that I should start speaking French and Mandarin at the sometimes with my daughter. She couldn't understand how a family can function like ours, where three languages were practiced at the same time at home.

Well, there were times that I have doubts about what we were doing.

The initial plan was that I take care of Mandarin and hubby takes care of French. One thing I didn't that into consideration was that a mother naturally interacts / handles more things with her child than a father. The outcome was that the little angel prefered to speak Mandarin than French, as she knew more vocabularies in Mandarin. We spent time together singing, reading and chatting in Mandarin. And then I wondered if I have put her in disadvantages compare to her pals at school.

Examples:
1. At school while kids were singing songs that they have probably heard at home, she learned about them for the first time. Well, she did know a couple of French songs but not extensively.
2. She might not be familiar with instructions in French (while doing craft, drawing...).
3. During story telling times she might not understand much compare to her pals due to her weak vocabularies.

I suspected that these have made her behaved reservedly in classroom. While kids in her classroom started to form groups, she didn't belong to any and would usually play with boys or older kids. Her teacher used to tell me that she didn't speak much at class and sometimes didn't understand her instructions. Her after school carer told me that she was a quiet girl. I noticed that she spoke less fluently in French compared to kids her age.

And then this coworker told me: "Well, according to the National Education guideline, a kid that has finished the first year of Kindergarten should recognize 1 to 5. Does she know this?" The true is no. Yes, after one full year of school, she doesn't read 1 to 5. Another fact is that she doesn't know A to Z either. I'm restraining myself to teach her alphabet because I don't think I pronounce them correctly in French. I thought she would pick all these up at school. The coworker continued : "Some days I asked my daughter whether she had to work a lot at school, she told me no they were playing all days. The fact is, she was learning a lot but she thought it was games. They have a talented teacher who knows how to make learning fun, we are very lucky." I hope Aelig will meet a similar teacher, her current one has 33 kids to take care of, not sure if she could handle it.

At that point, I had all these questions to myself:
Should I change the method and start conversing with her in Mandarin and French?
Should I start teaching her writing and reading, even in Mandarin, even though kids here do these formally the first year they are in primary school?

In fact, kids in Malaysia start reading and writing since they enter kindergarten. They have dictations and small tests. I believe kids are capable of doing these before they turn 6. But I do ask myself what the rush? She still have a lot of time to learn. I started learning writing and reading when I was 7.

Before making any decisions, I decided to talk to her teachers. To my relief, her second year teacher thinks that she speaks well and blend in without problem with her classmates. Her after-school carer (the same one from last year) told me that she has improved a lot in term of expressions. And she eats well in the canteen. What a great news!

Now, we will continue the three languages practice at home (she doesn't speak English, she just tries to imitate us sometimes). And, I want to make learning a fun game for her. No pressure, she learns it at her own pace.

Teaching her how to write one to five.

She decides which exercise books she wants to "draw" with. Sometimes she writes a word, I write another one. She doesn't do it everyday.Well, learning is a lifelong process, way to go!

Her feminine side

I caught her applying lipbalm and perfume before going to school.
She insisted to wear only skirt.
To not dirty her white dancing shoes, she wore the black one out, then changed into the white one when arriving in her friend's house. She doesn't want to wear crocs anymore.
She plays with necklace and wristband.
She wants me to tie her hairs the way she wants.

Where did she get all these from? Certainly not from me. I do not do anything she does above.

"From my mum." I heard hubby replied.

Oh, indeed. My MIL did offer those accessories including a pair of ear rings to my daughter.
But, she is not the only one. The sitter gave her perfume as Christmas present.
All these are not a problem, I just feel weird seeing a three-year-old wearing perfume. Isn't it too early?
And, her winter clothes are mostly consisted of pants. Among the limited skirts I bought / passed down from her cousins, some are not allowed to wear to school, too bitchy according to hubby (such as the one in the photo above). So, we have had little scenes in the mornings as she wanted only skirt and I had nothing to offer her.

And, she got so tanned after one month with her grand-parents, with lots of time spent boating.
I grew up believing fair skin is the king. We even have a saying "fair skin hides aways many flaws".
I can hear my mother complains "oh no why got so tanned she is as black as a charcoal!"
Each time I see her tanned skin I just tell myself what a waste! She used to have glowy and smooth skin.
Maybe it will come back after winter.

Two photos on table manner

Found these two photos while researching on table manners.

 

Source
This photo shows men squatting while eating. It is an habit in a province in China.
Well, I have seen many Chinese Ah Pek (Chinese old men), including my father, eating with one leg folded up, rice bowl on one hand and chopstick on the other. I raise my bowl too while eating noodle or soup in Malaysia, but I was told that it is impolite in France. And, I will not be acceptable to eat noodle like the guy in the photo.

Source
Dialog translated in English : You forget the good manner, Fred one doesn't not put the elbows on the table.

I wonder if in France it is acceptable to rest your tits on the table. lol.

Salary increment : How about a week of baguette?

Manager : I would like to tell you that we are very satisfied with your performance. I believe you have been informed of your salary increment.
Friend : Yes.
A blank in the conversation. Apparently the manager was waiting for some form of appreciation.
Manager : Well, it seems that you are not happy about it.
Friend : Well, the increment is equivalent to my one week consumption of baguette, would you be happy if it were you?
Manager : ...(speechless).

As I have mentioned earlier, salary increment is very slow in my industry. Some people don't get any this year, except those who are doing an outstanding job. One year I got a merely 200€ (before tax) annual increment, which could buy me maybe an extra lunch per month? The manager who announced it to me was quite embarrassed to even spell out the amount. So nowadays when I receive a call from HR to inform me this kind of news, I politely say thank you and get on to my life. I don't feel anything for it anymore.

The true is, France has taught me to appreciate other aspects in my life than money. I'm staying because of all the reasons mentioned in the other post that are more important at this stage of my life.

Anyway, I kind of feel sad when this friend told me about the conversation above, as it really happened to him/her.

Another table etiquette

Source

I was talking with my coworkers about the "no clinking of glasses in a crossover manner" rule, and there I discovered another table etiquette.

Coworker:"Often, during dinner,  I have to tell my son to keep his hands on the table."
Me: "What do you mean, why should your son put his hands on the table?"
Coworker:"Well, that's another table etiquette that we learn since we are a kid."

I have never heard of this, neither did hubby. I'm glad his family doesn't practice this. I was imagining how hard it could be for a little boy to have to sit still, hands on the table but elbows off the table. Especially, some lunches or dinners could last forever. Anyway, I'm not criticizing here, it is just hard for a foreigner to understand why these table etiquettes are being imposed.

Before checking out on google, let's have a little fun and guess why this rule exists:
1. In the medieval times, people died over dining table as weapons or poisons were hid under table. To prevent this, everyone should put their hands on the table.
2. To make sure everyone has cleaned their hands before eating.
3. To make sure that no one is flirting around with their neighbor under the table.
4. To make sure no one steals or hides food away.
5. It is a superstition, someone who doesn't respect it would be condemned to 10 years without sex.

lol.

From green apple to table manners

It all started with a green apple.

We had a gathering in hubby's grandmother's house. There was an apple lying down on the grass, not far from the apple tree. It was still green, so it would be left rotten on the grass.

My MIL saw it, pick it up for me as she knows that I like eating crunchy apple. This immediately put my grandmother unease, "that can't be eaten!' she screamed. Seeing how she reacted, I hesitated between eating it or throwing it. Later, I decided to eat it as I didn't want to waste it. While cutting it to check if there was worm inside, I heard my FIL explained to grandma that my family doesn't mind eating apple when it is crunchy and acidly. "They actually plucked the apples fresh from the trees when they were visiting us" said him. "What's wrong with it?", I wanted to ask but I just kept quiet.

This led me to think about another incident several years back when I was having lunch in grandma's place. She offered me some fruits as dessert so I took an apple. She quickly rushed to pick up a knife while I was already taking the first bite. When the knife was handed to me, I looked at it and didn't know how to react. Ok, this might sound odd, but I actually don't know how to cut an apple without a peeler and a cutting board. In my family, we either bite it directly or we cut it into pieces then present them in a plate. While my BIL peeled his apple and cut it into pieces in his hand, I put down the knife and decided to eat it the way I'm comfortable with. I sensed that she was quite disturbed by the way I ate my apple but she didn't say anything.

While thinking about how different we are in eating habits with all kind of flashback to several similar incidents, we started our lunch with champagne toasting. There I was confronted with a table manner, as I was crossing my glass to toast with someone. Hubby nicely reminded me that this is a no no in their culture, that I should not cross my glass over others' arms while toasting. I suddenly burst up and said I do not want to respect a tradition that doesn't come with a good explanation. In fact, nobody ever told me why we couldn't do this. I made the point that eating for me is a pleasure, I don't want to think about all kind of rules that restrict that pleasure. My French family didn't say anything. I felt guilty but on other hand I really have enough of all these rules including the "elbows off the table" rule that I have violated on purpose in many occasions.

When I finally calmed down, I thought about my daughter. I can ignore these manners as I can pretend that I'm still a foreigner, she on the other hand has to know these rules and respect them. But to convince myself I have to first know why these rules existed.

Strangely, I couldn't find much information on the no crossing rule, it seems that it is not a common rule in the western world. One article explains that it is actually a kind of superstition, that a cross could only be made by the priests, and other who makes crosses will bring bad luck to oneself. As a non-believer it is hard to accept this explanation. As for the elbows off the table rule, many articles said that by putting elbows on table it risks knocking off things or bumping into people sitting beside you. Once again I'm not convinced.

I have yet decided what to do. We will see.

French tolerance : The traveling people II

About 6 months ago I blogged about The Traveling People. Guess what, they are still here!

I got back from our summer vacation and I saw more camping cars parked on a piece of land in front an office building. We pass by it almost everyday while walking to lunch. I think the land was too packed, some of them decided to settle down in smaller lands close to our office. Now we can see kids running topless, women doing laundry (they got washing machine) and dishes, people eating...some kids even climbed to our floor and observed us from outside.

It seems that our office area was not the only one attracted them. They also spotted a big piece of field close to offices and restaurants. One group settled down on a land right in front of a housing area. I don't know how the residents take it.

I was amazed how they manage to find water and electricity supply in empty land. This group invaded the area, some parked their camping cars next to pedestrian walk. To avoid them we had to walk on roads. One afternoon we were dining in a restaurant just beside the land, we saw the owner asking the driver of a camping car to leave same space between the restaurant and the camping car. The driver said he was only staying for two days, but the owner insisted that he moved further from the restaurant. Well, he just ignored her.

Kids from the group playing on the pedestrian walk. It is back to school time but it doesn't seem that they go to school.

Frankly, they looked just like someone who are on vacation.
It just that, their vacation lasts longer than majority of the population.
And, it seems that they are staying.
And, finally some reaction from our property management : we were informed that due to the present of traveling people in the area, the access to buildings are now secured with a digicode (instead of pressing a button).

Back to school

In France the school year normally starts during the first week of September.

The little angel woke up early in the morning, all excited to go back to school.

When they arrived, they had to make up the bed for her afternoon nap.

This year the teacher has to handle a mixed of 4 and 5 years old class. She has her hands full I would say.

All the stationery required at school.

A focus on the slate. I had never used this at school but hubby said in France students use it since very young age.

This is how they use the slate in class. Everyone writes the answer on the slate so that teacher could easily knows who got it right and who got it wrong. Maybe in several years they will be using a tablet?

I wish her a very happy school year.

Morning Ritual III

Here I'm, 4 years later, writing about morning ritual III, after morning ritual II.

Several months ago, we moved to a new office with open space environment. That was when I decided to establish my own rule for the morning greeting : air kiss with women, hand shake with men. So every morning, once arrive in the office, I go to greet everyone, have a small talk before starring at my computer and keep pressing the keynotes (my mother's expression, that's how she sees people working in front of a computer lol).

Well, at the beginning some men were a bit confused, as they actually do the contrary : shaking hands with every man and air kissing every woman. But little by little, they get used to it.

I'm glad I made this decision. I read a woman's blog (a Chinese married to a French), after several years of air kissing her guests, she decided to just stop. She didn't appreciate the ritual, now she is just telling everyone that she doesn't "faire la bise". Some people were shock, but gradually they accepted it. I found this to be too extreme, but I admired her gut to tell people what she actually thinks.

This only applies to office environment though. I can accept air kissing people outside of work in informal occasions. Maybe one day I will accept to air kiss my male coworkers. It actually happened. One day, I don't know what got into me, I just went to air kiss a team mate, naturally. I think that was because I start to treat him like a friend, a good sign I guess.

Baguette = Pain

I was cleaning the kitchen counter top and it just dawned on me that in French, bread = Pain. It suits my feeling for the French bread : a pain in cleaning.

Hubby is a big fun of baguette (a long load of French bread), that you can buy easily in the bakery (except in Aug when some of them are having their annual leaves). He can swallow one in within half an hour, spread it with some butter, cheese, ham... I like it too, but not at his level. He has passed down the tradition to Aelig, these days she is not satisfied with plain butter, she wanted cheese too.

Back to my rant.

This evil scrumptious bread has crispy crust. It lasts for two days then it becomes stone hard.

Since we have baguette at home regularly, its crusts are on the counter-top, on the floor, on the dining table, 24/7. Ok I exaggerated, I should deduct the two minutes after cleaning, but it would just come back as soon as someone goes to the kitchen and take a bite of baguette.

Since it doesn't last long, we have to store it in the freezer. So, in the process of getting it out, you have bread crust in the freezer, on the floor, and worst, inside the toaster and on the counter-top that hosts the toaster (well, you need to thaw it before eating right?). And to not waste the ones that turned into stone before we could save them, I need to put them aside so we could feed them to ducks in the park nearby.

Since changing someone's habit is more difficult than climbing the stairs to the sky (a Chinese expression),I have been looking for a solution, and been observing how other families do it.

Ginger is spicier when it is old (another Chinese expression), after many years of experience, my FIL came out with a conclusion :  you need to cut and eat the baguette on the dining table, then take the table cloth to the garden and throw those crusts, the birds will clean them up later. True, his sparkling clean counter-top lasts longer than mine, but that's because they don't eat baguette as often as my family. And he cleans his counter-top 3 times per day.

Now, we don't have a garden as we live in an apartment. It is unethical to throw breadcrumb just outside the window I guess? Someone bought us this planche à pain (the one in photo), yes it does store the breadcrumb, but you still have some on the counter-top so now I have to clean the counter-top PLUS the planche à pain.

It seems that it is hard to find a solution, or one that suits me. I prefer American sandwich bread (pain mie) but hubby would probably throw me out of the window if I suggest this to him. So I have two options:
1. Clean as frequently as possible the counter-top just like my FIL
2. Close an eye on the breadcrumb and move on with my life.

LOL.

Oh boy oh boy

During the long weekend, we had gatherings with friends, so the little girl got to play with kids around her age.

We were having picnic around the Erdre river. Now the adults can chit-chat non-stop since the kids can play by themselves. She didn't even complain when I took a baby in my arm. When she was younger, she cried and nagged when she saw me holding someone else rather than her.

Going to the beach and play with kids is of course different than being the only kid and playing alone.

She learned how to accept refusal. She placed the towels nicely and invited her pals, but they ignored her as they preferred to sit somewhere else. She didn't take it badly, she was just disappointed.

It was fun watching them playing. They would just stare at each other and laugh. They were wrestling, jumping, running around, then laugh. So easy to be happy.

She had a lot of fun, so did we.

Who don't go for vacation?

I watched on TV that around 40% of French do not go for vacation this year. Tied budget is the main cause for this phenomena. A sociologist calls it as injustice between the poor and the rich.

This is a topic that pops up on TV every summer. How many percent of the population didn't go for vacation, how much on average they spend on their holidays, where are the hottest destinations... Well, a topic that I don't see in Malaysia.

The first time I heard about this I thought this was not a big deal. Stay at home during school holidays, I did it my whole life. The more I'm in France, the more I see it : vacation is in French's blood. It is a right, not a privilege. Not going for vacation is a big deal, as everyone around you is going. To the beach, to the mountain, to the South (South of France, Italy, Spain, anywhere with a better guarantee of sunshine), to a foreign country.

So now we are talking about injustice to people not able to join the wagon.
"Too bad for them", that was what I thought the first year I heard about this.
"If they want to go for vacation, they need to work for it." My thought on second year.
"That's ridiculous, how many countries in the world can have 60% of the population going on vacation?" My take the year after.
"That's too much, there are asking for donations so that kids can go for vacation!" I cried out to hubby.

And then I have Aelig.
My perspective has since changed.
I would like to see every little angel in this world going for vacation with their love one.
I'm willing to donate my "cheques vacances" to anyone who need it.
I'm grateful that my family gets to go every year.

Aelig on vacation in Perhentian Island.

Her vacation continues in France...

Bonnes vacances everyone!

Where is great-grandma?

Sometimes there are things I don't know how to explain to Aelig.

We were in Malaysia, and my mother informed me one day that she was going to be busy as it was my grandmother's death anniversary (做忌). As a Chinese custom, my mother has to hold a memorial service for the ancestors from my father's side. 

The day came, she woke up super early to prepare foods for praying. My grandmother was represented in a wood frame (神祖牌位) with her name written on. I told Aelig that we were going to pray for my grandmother, who is her great-grandma. She asked me where is great-grandma? I showed her the wood frame, she was very confused. 

I helped my father laying out a praying table and presented foods my mother just cooked. My father then lid some incense and passed them to me. I was a bit confused as he didn't give any to Aelig. Was it because she is not considered a descendant from his family? Anyway, I explained to Aelig that I was inviting my grand-parents for lunch. Apparently during the death anniversary the death spouse is invited too. Aelig looked around, it seemed that she was trying to spot my grandparents, but in vain.

 After a while, my father threw two half-moon shape woods (擲筊) to communicate with my grandparents. If one wood is facing up and one facing down, it means that they are well eaten. It was the case at first try, the ceremony is considered conclude and the family can start eating. 

"Where is great-grandma?" After I told her that great-grandma has eaten and has gone, she posted the question with her curious eyes. I don't know how to explain that it was in a form of spirit and normally we won't be able to see them. Anyway, after some discussions with my family, we all think that this is just a tradition that we continue. It is served as a day we remember a family member. After all, our tradition believes in incarnation, my grandparents should have already reborn since long time ago, there is no way they could turn up for lunch lol.

One of the praying foods : fried glass noodles.

The main dish was popiah, a popular dish among the Hokkien. It was mainly made of jicama, a kind of vegetables that I have never seen in any Asian stores in France.

Side ingredients that go with the popiah.

The concept is similar to Fajitas (Mexican dish), but it has less meat and less oily.

I hope grandma enjoyed the lunch. I did!
 

A little girl in Malaysia 2 : Her favorite foods and drinks

She is not a big eater. She eats what we offer. We cook what we feel like and do not specifically prepared something that would only please her. She knows the rule : eat or go hungry.

Malaysian foods are generally more oily and heaty. To not change much her eating habits I got her some yogurts but to my surprise, she refused to take them. Were Malaysian yogurts tasted different compared to the one in France? Anyway, I'm glad that she didn't get sick in Malaysia. Last trip she got a fever the day before leaving to France, this trip she had moderate diarrhea for a week but nothing to be worried about. She takes it from hubby I guess, he has digestive problem usually near the end of each trip.

She loves red bean soup. She discovered my no-sugar red bean version in France, but swallowed three bowls of my mother's red bean + green bean + barley version in no time.

Milo ice is the drink she orders whenever we go to a mamak store. She likes 100 plus and Vitagen too.

She accepts different kind of Roti Canai, and loves this Roti Milo + Banana. Hubby said this is very closed to the Crêpe in Brittany region.

A part-timer. Volunteering to clear tables in Mamak store.

Loved mango and watermelon juices in Perhentian.

Eating Chicken wings in one hawker center, Singapore. She took in a good amount of chicken rice too.

She adores bah kut teh since last trip. Kids in my family usually savor a plate of rice with the bah kut teh sauce.

She also likes different kind of fishes.

She couldn't take spicy food but hubby craves for it. In this case, she got the non-spicy chicken and hubby got the rest.

We had brought her to sushi restaurant many times in France. She only eats rice with miso soup. But this trip she actually ate plenty of sashimi.

Proud to say that she is slowly enjoying durian. As for hubby, we can now count on him to open durians for us.

Still, she is more used to western food. She finished her bread spread with butter without problem. She did try the kaya tough.

We can find easily the French salted butter in the supermarket. Maybe I should buy one for her next trip. The first day we got home, hubby bought 3 French baguettes. When she saw them, she yelled with excitement!

You can tell that hubby had been eating a lot of Indian foods. She just got some chicken and cucumber.

Overall she ate less in Malaysia. She would eat when there were rice : rice + any kind of soup + pork / chicken (the one we used to boil soup). But sometimes she did surprise me, she actually ate some char kueh tiao, she usually doesn't like noodles.

So long, farewell

Time flied, it was time to say goodbye again. Aelig was excited, she told everyone that she was going home.

The trip.
The trip back to France was uneventful. Me and Aelig slept through most of the trip. The seating was crucial, hubby sat between us so Aelig can't play her "interrupting mummy every two seconds" trick. We had to wait 3 hours for the train, I hope they offer a better connection next time. When we got to Nantes station, I hesitated if we should take the taxi. Then we felt it was not worth paying 50€ for something we could do with 2€. It just needed several minutes of carrying (mostly hubby), and thankfully this trip Aelig proposed to carry her own luggage. How I wish taxis are as affordable as in Singapore.

Jetlag
Now we need to cope with jetlag. It goes better this time. I wake up early but I manage to work efficiently throughout the day. Unlike last year I had to lay down taking rest while working. Aelig on the other hand copes better compare to us. She sleeps and wakes up at the usual time. As for hubby, the morning running nose comes back. It is curious that it stopped in Malaysia but comes back as soon as he is in France.

What we brought back
I had told my family that I do not wish to overload our luggages like trips before. We used to carry back cans of 100 plus, packs of instant noodles... those are behind me now. If I miss Malaysian foods, I should eat them in Malaysia. The essential thing for the trip is to bring back many photos / memories with families. And, very important, visit to bookstore so we got books and CDs for Aelig and me. As for hubby, he decided to bring back packs of Teh Tarik and boxes of Ramadhan cookies for his family. He was the one carrying the luggages so he assured the responsibility.

Now
We are slowly adjusting to our life, and putting behind daily routine in Malaysia : breakfast, lunch, shopping, dinner, mamak store. We have to take cold shower in the morning as the water heater is broken down. Aelig asks sometimes when we are going back to Malaysia, and she is already negotiating with her stuffed animals on who she will be bringing next trip. She is also enjoying books and CDs we got from the trip. But she did ask me : Why do I have to go to the sitter? Why can't you stay with me everyday? Such is life my little girl.

Escapade to Singapore : Impression

My impression for Singapore : Safe, clean, efficient.

Signboards were mostly shown in English and Mandarin, and sometimes + Malays and Tamil.

Efficient subway system. They even had staffs standing beside the subway map and showed us the fastest way to get from one place to another.

It seems that everyone is playing with their phones in Subway.

Taxis were relatively cheap, we paid $6 from our Hotel to Universal Studios. From the taxi driver we realized that we drove through a toll without having to pass through a toll station. There were machines hanging on top of a place, every car in Singapore has to equipped with a machine with AutoCard, and the machine charges the AutoCard each time a car passes. What a wonderful system? Imagine don't have to queue or be slowed down through a toll? I wonder why can't Malaysia do the same, at least to slow down traffic jams.

We are neighbors, but Singapore is way more advance and efficient in many ways.

Gastronomy at Fusion Sushi Buffet

Talking about food during our stay in Austin, hubby and me agreed that Musashino Sushi Dokoro is one of the best Sushi restaurants we had ever been to. Never did we expect to taste the same quality of Sushi again, this time in Malaysia.

My sister treated us to Fusion Sushi Buffet in Petaling Jaya. With her Groupon voucher, she paid RM38 per person. We could choose from the buffet bar plus 14 items on the menu. We made a common mistake like a lot of patrons, we attacked the buffet first but the real scrumptious sushis were among the 14 items. Photo shows the buffet items we chose. Even Aelig was attracted by the sashimi.

The Chef from this restaurant used to work in New York so he introduced us to New York style sushi. It comes with yummy sauce.

The fresh salmon slides coated with some herbs. The plate was placed on top of a bunch of ice cubes.

Sashimi cocktail

Tuna wrap, one of my favorites.

 Loved the sauce.

 Mango favor sushi, yummy.

 Delicious combination of herbs and sauces.

The restaurant owner challenges his patrons to try and finish all his 14 items. So far nobody has done it as everyone was already stuffed with the buffet items before even trying out the items on the menu.

I'm not sure if it offers authentic Japanese sushi but it has surely won my heart. Without Groupon offer it will cost RM88++. I had bad impression of Groupon but finally I got a nice experience with their offer.