West 57th Street Café

Otherwise known as fashion designer Zang Toi's cafe, the original outlet still stands strong in Sungei Wang. This second outlet is located inside Parkson departmental store. It’s a perfect stop after a whole day of shopping. Its cozy ambience and pretty décor instantly relaxes the tired shopper. The most popular item on their menu is their Banana Chocolate Cake. At RM7, it is a good deal thanks to the sheer generosity of a slice. With warm chocolate syrup and fresh bananas, the cake is comfort food personified. You can also opt to have a scoop of ice-cream with the cake. It’s no wonder why we started out with dessert instead of the mains! With sandwiches, pastas, soups and Asian favourites on the menu, there’s enough variety here. However, the Nasi Lemak Combo (RM21) and Spicy Pasta (RM18) we ordered fell short of expectations. The Nasi Lemak Combo comes with chicken rendang, sambal prawns and greens on the side. Once again, the portion impressed us, however the chicken was extremely tough and dry making it an unsatisfactory meal. The Spicy Pasta was not appealing in presentation (looks like a messy glob of sauce) but will appeal to kids thanks to how cheesy it was. It felt like we had ordered lasagna instead.

Contact:
Lot 4.42, Parkson Pavilion,
55100 Jalan Bukit Bintang
Tel: 03-2145 7701
Website:
N/A

Operating Hours:
Opening Hours: 10am - 10pm
Cuisine:
Western

Chawan

Situated where the old Devi's Corner in Bangsar was, is Chawan, a kopitiam smacked right along Telawi Street. Despite opening recently, the place is already regularly packed to the brim. What drew us to the place was word of mouth that the Nasi Lemak with Chicken Rendang (RM9.90) is good. The reality didn't turn out to be that appetizing. For what it's supposed to be, the rice tasted too plain. The chicken rendang didn't taste too bad, but its portion is so small that you end up devouring it ahead of the amount of rice. There wasn't much to say about the sambal either; it lacked a spicy kick. Try the asam laksa (RM9.90) instead. The sourish laksa broth is balanced in terms of the concentration of fish flavour, making the noodles tangy and worth every slurp. As the name Chawan implies, this cosy place is great to grab a cuppa, as you can get any locally-produced coffee on their menu. Alas, everything here is over priced and nothing offered is close to fancy.

Contact:
69-G Jalan Telawi,
3 Bangsar Baru,
59100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2287 5507

Website:
N/A

Operating Hours:
Opening Hours: 8am – 12am

Cuisine:
Local

River Caffe

Cleverly named using a play of homonyms, Palate Palette adds a dash of fresh It's quite surprising to find good nosh at really affordable prices at Chulan Square. River Caffe is a kopitiam-esque restaurant that whips up local and western meals, any time of the day. The Bread & Curry Chicken is a nice choice to start off. Although the taste of the curry is quite mild, this mouth-watering dish will get your appetite going. One of their signature dish is the River Caffe's Special Nasi Lemak (RM7.90). What's so special? Serving your usual nuts, anchovies, egg and cucumber as condiments, they also throw in some papadam, chicken rendang and cuttlefish with sambal at your platter. It's delectable and it's filling too. The Nasi Goreng (RM7.90) also gets the thumbs up. The rice is fried to a crisp light brown, with generous amount of meat and shrimp throw in. The portions of the food is one reason why it's worth the visit here. It is big enough to be shared with another person. The waiters are friendly and attentive too. Although the place is really empty off meal-times, the quiet environment is ideal for those who want some privacy.


Contact:
Lot 3, Block B,
Chulan Square,
92 Jalan Raja Chulan,
50200 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2141 6944

Website:
N/A

Operating Hours:
Opening Hours: 7am - 2am

Cuisine:
Local

Palate Palette

Cleverly named using a play of homonyms, Palate Palette adds a dash of fresh air to the Valley’s dining scene. As is typical of the more upscale of Changkat Bukit Bintang establishments, Palate Pallette is splashed with lots of attitude and style. This is apparent from the first moment you step into it. Palm trees wrapped with a rainbow of colours and an ingenious astroturf-covered wall greet you. The outdoor entrance area makes an excellent place to chill out under the stars amid their colourful cushions and comfy chairs.

Within the restaurant’s interior, there’s a kaleidoscope of colours arising from a mish mash of newly upholstered chairs and bar stools, peppered with carefully chosen vintage details—antique wooden door and cast iron sewing machine, etc. A couple of chairs even looked as though they’d been rescued from someone’s opulent dining table set. The owners have obviously put a lot of thought into creating a funky atmosphere. On the practical side, however, it’s not easy for any orderly table arrangements with the different sizes of the chairs and tables.

The menu offers cuisine which is fresh with flavours and a slight Asian influence. Slurp down their ambrosial Mushroom Cappuccino (RM18) topped with white milk foam and made from a mix of oyster, baby Portobello mushrooms and their own home made stock. It’s utterly delicious that you will be downing it to the last drop. For something fresh, try the crunchy Shrimp Salad (RM18) served with a creamy avocado chutney and Japanese mayonnaise, accompanied with endive and butterhead leaves.

Comfort food is always an instant draw especially when it promises tummy gratification. The Curry Chicken Pot Pie (RM16) with its mild Japanese curry infused chicken cubes, peas and carrots offer ultimate satisfaction for the soul. Coupled with the crumbly puff pastry, it was a heavenly combination. Although the Oxtail Shepherd’s Pie (RM18) sounded equally gratifying, the braised oxtail combination with vegetables was disappointingly bland. Topped with gooey roasted garlic mash potatoes, it could’ve been much better with a more robust filling.

Choosing your dessert here is not an issue as they only offer a tiny selection. The Petit Green Tea Mille Feuille (RM13) is served with filo pastry stacks flecked with black sesame seeds, sandwiched with green tea pastry cream and raspberry coulis sounded promising but the green tea cream lacked flavour and the filo pastry wasn’t as crunchy as promised. For a richer taste, indulge in their Ginger Crème Brulee (RM12) served with thick almond biscotti. Although the ginger flavour is faint, the cooked cream is rich and smooth under the burnt sugar crust.

Even though parking can be hellish around this area with the new condo development opposite the road, the warm and playful environment of Palate Palette may entice you to reconsider. For the budget conscious, they also serve a set lunch for RM20++ with starters, entrees and drinks during the weekdays which feature a good selection of their signature dishes. For desserts, add an extra RM5++.


Contact:
21 Jalan Mesui,
off Jalan Nagasari,
50200 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2142 2148

Website:
www.palatepalette.com

Operating Hours:
12pm - 12am (Sun -Thurs, closed on Mon)
12pm - 2am (Fri - Sat)

Cuisine:
Western

Nong & Jimmy

When one mentions barbeque, it’s usually assumed that it would involve an inordinate amount of sweating in the heat as the food cooks over hot coals. For an easier solution, opt instead for Nong & Jimmy where they serve barbeque seafood Thai style. Just a sprawling shack with zinc metal sheets, this place is packed especially during the weekends. A must order as a starter is a plate of tiny Char Kuih (Fried Dough Fritters) served with bright green pandan kaya as a dip (RM3 per plate). Sadly, the char kuih is slightly chewy versus crispy making it just a tummy filler while you wait for the main act. Although the grilled squid is bland if eaten alone, it’s delicious when dipped in the sauce made with sweet chili sauce with a dash of calamansi lime juice. The grilled crab, on the other hand, was a huge disappointment with dry and tasteless meat. Appearances can be deceiving with their fried rice which looks plain but is fluffy with egg shreds and generous sized prawns. A big letdown was the tom yam, which tasted simply ordinary even though it was served with a generous portion of seafood. Even though the Thai style steamed fish was the last to arrive, it was worth the wait, its sweet flesh having fully absorbed the flavours from the chillies, garlic and lime juice.


Contact:
27363 Jalan Cahaya 1,
Taman Cahaya, Ampang,
Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 019-261 1345, 012-273 8069

Website:
N/A

Operating Hours:
Opening Hours: 6pm to 11pm (Closed on Monday)
Cuisine:
Southeast

Bonjuk

Following the craze of Korean culture invading the rest of the world, KL has bore witness to Korean soaps, boybands, soccer stars, horror flicks, transsexual actresses and… barbeques. But if sizzling meat on hot coals that smoke out your clothes and hair ain’t your thing, you might like to consider Bonjuk.

If you don’t already know, Bonjuk is a Korean franchise that boasts an impressive 700 outlets in Korea, Japan and USA, recently opening its first outlet in KL. For the Koreans, eating porridge in the old days was a way to stretch whatever little grain they had when food was scarce. Nowadays, it’s touted as a health alternative. And Bonjuk promotes this very seriously, even offering discounts to members of Yoga Zone and True Fitness.

With 17 types of porridge on the menu, Bonjuk claims each can contribute to improving different aspects of one’s health. For instance, the Seafood Combination Porridge (RM22.95 for large, RM15.95 for medium) with oysters, shrimps, squids and clams is nutritious and has essential vitamin and minerals. We liked the tasty combination of Octopus and Kimchi Porridge (RM19.95 for large, RM12.95 for small). Slightly spicy because of the kimchi, it’s apparently good for preventing cholesterol and stomach cancer. Kimchi is also said to help with digestion.

If you can’t take spicy, try the Beef and Mushroom Porridge (RM17.95 for large, RM11.95 for medium). It’s cooked with minced beef and a special type of oak mushrooms known as Pyogo. A low calorie item, the mushroom is claimed to be good for preventing diabetes, high blood pressure and cancer—also for healthy skin and bones.

While Koreans prefer their porridge made with black sesame seeds, sweet pumpkin, red beans, pine nuts, mung beans and black beans, these types take some time to get used to for the Malaysian palate as they can be quite bland. Some can also be sweet like the sweet pumpkin porridge (RM15.95 for large, RM10.95 for medium) that tastes more like dessert.

Although some types of porridge tend to be on the bland side, you can pair it with the variety of kimchi made from beef, seafood and cabbage served on the side for flavour. The thick porridge also comes with a topping of toasted sesame seeds and seaweed that can be mixed in. A large bowl of porridge makes quite a substantial meal and if you wish to have a lighter meal, choose the medium portion.



Contact:
18 Ground Floor,
Jalan 25/70A,
Desa Sri Hartamas,
50480 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2300 2302

Website:
N/A

Operating Hours:
10am - 10pm (Close on second Mon of every month)

Cuisine:
Korean

Hayn’s Pizzeria

Although there are pizzerias all over the town, Hayn’s Pizzeria definitely holds its own with its paper thin crust and innovative toppings. Started by Arne Hayn, a German of Italian descent, pizzas here are made the true Italian way, albeit with some interesting creations tossed in. Pizzas here come in three different sizes—eight inches, ten inches and twelve inches—and there are sixteen different types of toppings to choose from. Try the unusual but delicious banana pizza—a combination of turkey ham and sliced bananas drizzled with chocolate sauce tops a wafer thin crust spread with home made tomato sauce. If you prefer more fruit, they also serve a pineapple and mango combination drizzled with chocolate sauce. Aside from pizzas, Hayn’s has also concocted an unusual pasta dish—Butter Prawns Pasta (RM19.90). Reminiscent of the butter prawns dishes we usually get in Chinese tai chow places, the prawns are sautéed and served with a buttery sauce tinged with curry powder and curry leaves. Not too creamy with a slight hint of spiciness, you’ll slurp it down in a minute. Leave some room for dessert. The tiramisu (RM6.50) is a creamy concoction while the crème brulee (RM5.50) is just as decadent with a thin caramelised sugar crust. The pizzeria also serves a selection of gelatos from Lecka Lecka. If you live within the Hartamas area, they’ll deliver. Alternatively you can dine in the stark white café which comes equipped with Wi-Fi.



Contact:
LG 64 Jalan 27/70A,
Desa Sri Hartamas,
Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 1300-82 3000

Website:
N/A

Operating Hours:
Opening Hours: 11am to 11pm
Cuisine:
N/A

Banquet

Ever since the Banquet opened at Bangsar Village II, fans of Café Café, its sister café have been visiting it to see if they can experience the same magical feeling they’ve been getting at Café Café. Boasting an interior totally unlike the French cabaret-inspired Café Café, at the Banquet you get a classic garden atmosphere with rows of dark green Christmas trees, white furniture, chandeliers and floor-to-ceiling mirrors to create an illusion of space.

Although the owners are trying to create something different, they’ve kept their old favourites like the Duck Confit, Beef Bacon Salad with Red Wine Poached Egg, Hot Chocolate Cake and Tiramisu to keep Café Café fans happy. Aside from the Western selection, the Banquet also serves Asian dishes based on recipes from Penang where the owners hail from.

For starters, you can choose to satisfy your local tastebuds or go for something more exotic like foie gras. The Mango Salad (RM13) was quick to arrive on our table once we placed our order. Delicious slivers of green mangoes and onions were tossed in a mix of peanuts, crushed crunchy ikan bilis and chopped bird eye chili. Next was the Aromatic Chicken Wings (RM14 for 6 pieces) which was deep-fried until crispy. With a slight hint of shrimp sauce, the chicken wings were a good snack to indulge in while waiting for our main meal. Although the Crispy Brie (RM23) came in a small portion, it was delicious with the melting cheese centre that paired well with the tangy sauce served on the side.

The Wok Fried Special Noodles (RM18) looked and tasted similar to the mamak mee goreng found at roadside stalls. It smelled heavenly though especially when it arrived piping hot. Also aromatic was the Chicken Casserole with White Wine and Mixed Mushrooms (RM35) which was topped with beef bacon. Unfortunately the chicken was not fork tender. If you like fish, try the Oven Baked Butter Fish Served with Creamy Honey Mustard Sauce (RM25). You’ll need patience though as it takes 20 minutes to prepare. Although the fish was tender and flaked off easily with a fork, it felt slightly dried out on top. Dip the fish into the rich and creamy honey mustard sauce made with butter, minced garlic, honey and wholegrain mustard. Though it tends to get quite rich after a while. Perhaps it would’ve been better with a squeeze of lemon juice to cut through its richness.

A must have when you dine here is the heavenly Tiramisu (RM18). It’s just a small portion but perfectly done with just the right amount of brandy-soaked sponge fingers topped with creamy whipped mascarpone. Special mention should be given to the service as they were especially attentive and well versed on each item on the menu. Although this place is catered for casual dining, a meal here can be an expensive outing as items on the menu are on the costlier side for the portions served compared to other cafes.



Contact:
1f-28 Bangsar Village II,
2 Jalan Telawi Satu,
Bangsar Baru,
Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2282 3228

Website:
bbq-chicken.com.my

Operating Hours:
Opening Hours: 10.30am - 10.30pm

Cuisine:
Fusion

Ayam Bakar Wong Solo

Walk into this place and you’ll see a bevy of home sick Indonesians hanging out waiting to taste a bit of home. Part of a franchise originating from Solo in Yogyakarta, it serves Ayam Bakar based on a secret recipe concocted by the founder, Puspo Wardoyo. The restaurant is famous in Indonesia, having won an Enterprise 50 award and was named one of Indonesia’s Superbrands. With two outlets in Malaysia located in Ampang and Kampung Baru, you don’t need to visit Indonesia to sample the food. The Ayam Bakar (RM5.50) is aromatic but slightly dry. Try the fried batter bits on top of the chicken which tastes extremely good with white rice. Their Empal Lembu (RM5.50) is fork tender as they use the best part of the cow. Dip it in the kicap manis or spicy sambal for additional kick. Also good is the crunchy Pecel Lele (RM5.50), deep fried catfish. It’s so crisp, you can even eat the crunchy bones together with the sweet fish flesh. The Tahu and Tempe Goreng (RM4) can be quite tasteless so add lots of kicap manis to give it flavour. Try the traditional Sayur Asam (RM5) to accompany the food. It’s a slightly sourish and pretty substantial soup of corn cobs, long beans and potato chunks.



Contact:
G18 & G19, Jalan Dagang B/3A,
Taman Dagang, Ampang,
Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-4270 1947

Website:
bbq-chicken.com.my

Operating Hours:
Opening Hours: 11.45am - 11.30pm

Cuisine:
Southeast

Korea BBQ Chicken

Touted as Korea’s number one chicken restaurant, this latest Korean import serves a variety of chicken dishes which will definitely make you proclaim it’s finger lickin’ good (if it weren’t for the fact that the expression is already copyrighted). Although the name seems to indicate the restaurant only serves barbequed chicken, the specialty is actually fried chicken marinated with 30 natural seasonings. Using a method developed at a research and development centre known as the “Chicken University”, it’s deep fried in a special type of oil with a higher smoking point which is directly imported from Korea. Although prices tend to be higher than your neighbourhood fast food joint, the portions are pretty substantial. Priced at RM12.50 for a two-piece Olive Luxury Chicken, it’s served with coleslaw and a choice of either mash potato or seafood fried rice. The extremely crispy chicken is juicy on the inside from the special methods they use. Try the Ginseng Power Crunch version for a Korean ginseng taste (RM14.50 for a two piece set). Also good is the Teri-Q wings (RM7.50 for 4 pieces) with a crispy batter made from glutinous rice flour. For those who love spicy fried chicken, try the Hot Hot Version which is coated in a hot sauce and marinated with hot pepper grain. The Charbroiled Chicken (RM14.50 for a two piece set) is also a good alternative if you don’t like fried items. Udon is also available and the soft drinks are bottomless.



Contact:
No. 24, Jalan 27/70A,
Desa Sri Hartamas,
50480 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2300 1019

Website:
bbq-chicken.com.my
Operating Hours:
Opening Hours: 11am - 11pm

Cuisine:
Western

Cambodian

This latest eatery in Desa Sri Hartamas offers a variety of Vietnamese, Thai and Cambodian dishes. Their forte lies in Vietnamese food as the owners also run the Vietnam Passion Restaurant at Chulan Square, Kuala Lumpur. There are two dining areas – one within the restaurant’s air-conditioned area and an outside area equipped with a big screen television perfect to catch those English Premier League games. For starters, try the Prawn Spring Rolls (RM12). Wrapped in rice paper with a filling made with prawns and herbs, the tasty morsels will be finished in no time. Although their Thai Pandan Chicken (RM10) offers great value for money with six big pieces of chicken, the pieces were dissapointedly dry. Instead go for one of Exotic’s few Cambodian dishes on the menu – the Cambodian Fish Curry (RM16). Served in a young coconut, the curry was creamy and fragrant with kaffir lime leaves. It tastes even better when you scrape the coconut flesh and eat it with the curry. Another great thing about this place is the rice served here is fragrant and fluffy which makes a great companion for those curries. The menu also offers one dish meals and noodles, if you’re dining alone or just looking for a quick lunch.



Contact:
2, Jalan 24/70A
Desa Sri Hartamas,
50480 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03–2300 1196

Website:
www.westindining.com.my/restaurants/qba.asp

Operating Hours:
Opening Hours: 11am - 3pm, 6pm - 11pm

Cuisine:
Asian

Qba

Widely-known for its mojitos, caipirinhas, heaving bar and dance floor that packs Latin music and dance fans pretty much every evening of the week, Qba does have a relatively quieter and less hectic side. Upstairs, where the restaurant and cigar lounge are, has a grill that serves up inspiring and vibrant Latin American dishes. The menu of which recently just went through a refresh.

Now boasting a broader menu that spans tapas to seafood to steaks from around the world, the restaurant definitely holds its own with faithful interpretations that are strong on flavours and fresh ingredients imported from Latin America. No localised and diluted options to be found here.

Among the highlights on the menu are the selections of steaks on offer, which rivals any steakhouse in town. Apart from the Argentinean Las Lilias, other stand-outs include Australian Wagyu and Grain Fed Black Angus. And to emphasise the variety and quality of their steaks, the restaurant even offers a Tasting Steak Plate. Plus for those who need some additional flavours to go with their juicy steaks, there is a nice selection of Latin American-centric sauces.

Qba has always prided itself on providing a total Latin American experience, from its interior design to the live music to its rum collection to its food. Its time for the latter to step into the spotlight.



Contact:
The Westin Kuala Lumpur,
199 Jalan Bukit Bintang,
55100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2773 8338

Website:
www.westindining.com.my/restaurants/qba.asp

Operating Hours:
Opening Hours: 5pm - last guest leaves

Cuisine:
South-American

Rumours

If you’ve been getting wind about a new restaurant opening in Desa Sri Hartamas, well the news isn’t false. Rumours is the name of the new establishment and is the brainchild of its managing director, Bill Addington. The quirky name was taken from the early stages of the restaurant’s conceptualization, where speculations were circulating amongst Addington’s friends and associates about how his new place would look like.

Aiming to provide a dining experience that is “refined, attentive and unpretentious”, Rumours’s décor helps live up to that promise with its warm lighting and comfortable high-backed rattan chairs. The menu is varied, with influences from the Mediterranean, Asia and Europe. For starters, we were intrigued by the prawn, mango, tomato and cucumber tower, served with gratinated escargot, salad with Asian lemon dressing and garlic bread (RM25). The selection of mains has something for every taste bud. Want some Italian? Try the mushroom risotto. In the mood for seafood? How about the pan-fried confit salmon or oven-baked cod fillet? As for dessert, the most visually appealing has to be the marinated strawberries with balsamic, basil and brown sugar with vanilla ice cream (RM15)! The restaurant also has a decent selection of wines to choose from, so why not unwind over a glass after dinner?



Contact:
24, Jalan 28/70A, Desa Sri Hartamas, 50480 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2300 6650

Website:
N/A

Operating Hours:
6pm till late (Mon - Sat)
12pm - 3pm (Sun)

Cuisine:
European

Yashi-No-Mi

This little known Japanese café has actually been in operation for over nine years. Located under the shadow of the Pavilion across the road, it looks like this quaint place will most likely continue to slip under the radar of most diners, with so many brighter and more extravagant eateries around. The dark glass frontage, obscuring any view into the café, doesn’t help either.

But to a small and loyal following, Yashi-no-mi will continue to delight. It is popular amongst the expatriate Japanese crowd working in the area. They pop in for a quick bite or stay for a few drinks in the evening for there is a decent collection of whiskeys, sake and shochu on offer.

If you think Japanese food was all about sushi and tempura, then you will be happy to discover great, down to earth Japanese café cuisine here. Dishes such as omu rice – flavoured fried rice encased in a delicate omelette, spaghetti and Japanese curry may all sound like foreign dishes. However, they have all made their way into the contemporary Japanese diet, featured at Yashi-no-mi in a simple but homely menu.

Japanese curry, which is sweeter and milder than our Malaysian version, is a real favourite at Yashi-no-mi. The pork cutlet curry (RM20) contained a piece of pork loin, covered in Japanese breadcrumbs and fried, only to be immersed in a delicious curry sauce and served with rice.



Contact:
Lot G-01, Ground Floor,
Wisma Cosway,
No. 88, Jalan Raja Chulan
Tel: 03-2148 4254

Website:
N/A

Operating Hours:
12pm – 2.30pm,
6.30pm – 12am
(Sat dinner only, close on Sun)

Cuisine:
Japanese

Rak Thai

Situated in the wing that connects Gardens to Mid Valley Megamall, Rak Thai is a pleasant corner that benefits from a lot of space. The décor is very natural and calming, with lots of wood and Thai paraphernalia. For those who love Thai instant noodles, you’ll be glad to know that they sell it at Rak Thai. The menu, though not extensive, covers a satisfying range and hits all the prerequisites from tom yam to the mango sticky rice dessert. The meal started disappointingly with the seafood glass noodle salad (RM8.90). Though it came in a big portion, we were overwhelmed by the abundance of lettuce and basil leaves. The glass noodles, peanuts and seafood disappeared under the greens. However, things improved significantly with the Green Curry Chicken with rice (RM9.90) and the Khao Ki Mau (RM8.90). The former was extremely savoury, albeit a little too sweet, and was loaded with chunky chicken bits. The Khao Ki Mau was very tasty as well, presenting a great mix of the herbs and chicken. Beware as it’s pretty spicy! But no problem, down it with the refreshing Cucumber Lychee Mint Smoothie (RM6.90) or Thai desserts like Tub Kim Krob (water chestnuts, jackfruit, red ruby with fresh coconut milk). Overall, Rak Thai scores well for their generosity in portions, affordable prices and authentic Thai cuisine.



Contact:
LG 232 A, Gardens,
Mid Valley City,
Lingkaran Syed Putra,
59200 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2284 6918

Website:
N/A

Operating Hours:
Opening Hours: 11am - 10pm

Cuisine:
Southeast

Departure Lounge

Step inside this restaurant, first thing that you'll notice is the amount of travel books neatly arranged on the shelf. Lonely Planet, Let's Go or Rough Guides - more than enough to inspire your next holiday destination. There's even a photo mural whereby customers can share a picture or two of the places they've been. If you need a travel companion, you can even put up an ad at the Traveller's Classifieds, a small dedicated section for travellers.

Jet-setting aside, Departure Lounge is a nice place to grab a bite, and their sandwiches are recommended by many. Their BLT Toga Sandwich is a thin flat bread wrapped around bacon, lettuce and tomatoes with prevailing freshness and healthy feel to it. Besides some nachos and salsa sauce to boot, the portion is small. It'll be more fulfilling if there's more than just 2 tiny rolls.

The Chicken Pamigiana can best be described as spaghetti in a sandwich. It's sloppy as the tomato gravy drips down your hand. You can opt for the meatball variant too if you want. There's also an all-day Do-It-My-Way Breakfast Set specially tailored to your preferences. Despite how quiet the place is, Departure Lounge's cosy comforts and affordable pricing makes it a good chill-out spot for a game of Monopoly or reading up about Iceland. The only downer is that it closes too early!



Contact:
No. 10, Jalan Solaris 4,
Solaris Mont’ Kiara, 50480, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-6203 0362

Website:
N/A

Operating Hours:
8am – 7pm (Monday-Saturday)
10am-5pm (Sunday and public holidays).

Cuisine:
N/A

Four Season Chinese Restaurant

Bayswater is the motherland of Chinese food in the UK’s capital with its variety of quality and authentic Chinese food with restaurants like Royal China and Four Seasons. However, even with all this reputed competition, the latter perpetually takes at least half of the street’s clientele. And it’s always been all in their roast duck.

A branch was very recently brought down to the newly opened Cap Square. Now, this was really good news. We checked it out to find it bore little resemblance to that in London. In fact, it looked more like a Kim’s Gary outlet than a Chinese restaurant. The duck, albeit tasty, did not quite meet the Queensway standard.

However, it was a good value for money at RM15 per plate of duck rice of that quality. Besides the duck, Four Seasons also offers the usual meat-rice combos including char siew rice and a variety of chicken rice; all around the same price range. Try it for yourself



Contact:
G16-17, CapSquare Centre,
Pesiaran CapSquare,
Capital Square
50100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: N/A

Website:
N/A

Operating Hours:
Opening Hours: 11am - 12am

Cuisine:
Local

Nasi Lemak Kampung Baru

C.T. Garden Nasi Lemak (aka Nasi Lemak Stadium Sulaiman)
Serving up one of the best and cheapest nasi lemak bungkus in town (RM0.60), C.T. Garden is packed from dinner time ‘til the wee hours. Each packet wrapped in banana leaf and newspaper consists of rice, a dollop of sambal full of ikan bilis and hardboiled egg portion. Though the rice is slightly wet, the sambal packs a punch. One packet is never enough so don’t be surprised to see customers scarfing a few packets in one go.

R.A. Nasi Lemak
Popular among inner city workers, the nasi lemak here is served buffet style. R.A.’s rice is steamed in the traditional wooden barrel, making each grain fluffy and separate. You can choose have your nasi lemak with the thick sambal and usual condiments of peanuts, ikan bilis, hard boiled egg (RM1.50) or add extras from a selection of accompanying dishes, including its famously crunchy deep fried paru (cow’s lungs).



Contact:
C.T. Garden Nasi Lemak
Jalan Dewan Sultan Sulaiman,
Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: N/A
R.A. Nasi Lemak
15 Jalan Raja Abdullah,
Kampung Baru, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 012-244 4911.

Website:
N/A

Operating Hours:
C.T. Garden Nasi Lemak
Open 6pm to 5am.
R.A. Nasi Lemak
Open: 6am to 11am (Monday to Sunday), 4pm to 12am (Monday to Friday).

Cuisine:
Local

Lafite

Kevin Cherkas no longer leads the kitchen; the position of Chef de Cuisine at the restaurant is currently held by one Damon Campbell. While KL-ites might still be unfamiliar with his name, Campbell is a star in his own right having won gold medals in competitions like the Culinary Olympics Food Competition in Germany. Previously, he was working at the three-star Michelin restaurant The French Laundry in California, under the renowned chef Thomas Keller. Damon’s personal philosophy when it comes to having a great meal is that the food only counts for 60% of the whole experience. You can’t rely on the sense of taste itself; the sense of sight, smell, touch and sound has to be heightened too. His cooking styles aptly reflects this belief, for example, Damon uses spherification when he cooks, and it is described as a “process by which liquids are trapped in thin spherical casings, which when crushed in the mouth, burst open and bathe the tongue with flavours.” All we can say is: woah, when can we try that? Well good news, Damon’s menu for Lafite is all ready with 22 specialties. Some signature dishes include the Inside Out Pizza (RM12++), Caviar Donut (RM68++), Vaporised Scallop (RM58++), ‘Long’ Chicken (RM72++) and the Melt In Your Mouth Beef (RM115++), which is apparently cooked for 48 hours before serving. If you want to taste a bit of everything, Lafite’s Explorer plates are recommended at RM295++ (six plates) and RM410++ (nine plates).

Contact:
Shangri-La Hotel,
11 Jalan Sultan Ismail,
50250 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2032 2388

Website:
N/A

Operating Hours:
N/A

Cuisine:
Fusion

Yuzu

Tucked away in a secluded corner at The Gardens, the unobtrusive entrance of Yuzu belies the huge space that this Japanese restaurant occupies. To draw a distant analogy, perhaps this restaurant is like its namesake, the yuzu fruit, which appears small in size but big in flavour. For the uninitiated, the yuzu is a tart-tasting citrus fruit that is rarely eaten on its own, but its fragrant rind and juice is used in Japanese cooking for flavouring and garnishing. Think of what a lemon is to western cooking and you get the idea. We loved the warm Zen-like ambience of the place, with its extensive use of wood and bamboo combined with interesting water features. Service was very attentive; empty plates were promptly whisked away and the free-flow o-cha regularly refilled without asking.

For starters, we had the Koebi Karage (RM8), after being enticed by the picture of flaming-orange baby shrimps on the menu. We were a tad disappointed when the deep-fried shrimps turned out to be much paler than portrayed and extremely salty. Thankfully, our next starter, the highly recommended Yuzu No. 1 (RM20) lived up to its name. An interesting mixture of chopped fish, scallop and vegetables is shaped into a ball and wrapped with what appeared to be bacon and baked with a cheesy cream sauce, making this dish Japanese fusion at its best. The only setback was the price, which seemed a little too steep for such a small snack.

Next, we tried the King Prawn roll (RM28), a beautifully presented dish featuring a huge prawn with its head and tail intact at the ends of the roll. We were not entirely blown away by this combination of prawn, salmon and avocado, but it tasted as good it should be and is worth ordering for those who can’t live without their sushi. The following dish, Wagyu Ishiyaki (RM55) or stone-grilled Japanese beef, came to the table amid much sizzling, sending forth a heavenly scent of soy-seasoned seared beef. Suprisingly, the wagyu slices did not really produce the melt-in-the-mouth experience that we were anticipating. Nevertheless, it tasted delicious especially when eaten with the thin slices of mushrooms underneath which have absorbed all the flavours of the beef. Maybe we’d have better luck with the Kobe on the next visit.


Contact:
T236, 3rd Floor,
The Gardens, Mid Valley,
59200 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2284 7663/7763

Website:
N/A

Operating Hours:
Opening Hours: 11.30am - 10pm

Cuisine:
Japanese

Mezze

Mezze, located inside Tang’s departmental store, is definitely eye candy. With its African-influence décor and beautiful details on every piece of furnishing, it looks like a place you could bring a date to. But be warned though, Mezze is not recommended for a romantic dinner date for two. The food here is more appropriate for snacking, or a light lunch, as it comes in small portions. The Turkish yoghurt, leek and pumpkin soup (RM10) is topped with caramelized butter which when arrived, turned into a film of oil floating on the creamy soup. Thankfully, it tasted better than it looked – the mint and paprika balanced what could’ve been a nauseatingly creamy concoction. Their Hot Mezzes are the main meals of the restaurant, and the Spicy Saffron Chicken was a nice blend of herbs marinated into the meat. But at RM16 and at a portion so tiny, it is overpriced. Give their moist chocolate cake (RM8.50) a miss as it is the direct opposite – dry and crumbly, totally unsatisfactory. However, we would recommend this as a good place to unwind after a day of shopping as the coffees are pretty good.


Contact:
Inside Tang’s,
Lot 2.01.00 Level 2,
Pavilion KL, 168 Jalan Bukit Bintang,
55100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2145 1886 ext 212

Website:
N/A

Operating Hours:
Opening Hours: 10am – 10pm

Cuisine:
N/A

Mi Bandung Aziz Dolmat

As far as local neighborhood institutions go, Aziz Dolmat is about as underrated as they get. A staple of any Pandanite’s dinner options for the past 30-odd years, this painfully understated noodle joint still gets no love. What you will love, however, is the lovingly prepared yet Spartan-looking mi bandung which reminds one of hearty home-cooked meals with an affectionate cherubic aunt slaving over the stove. Anyway. The sauce is nutty and airily spicy and the noodles springy, with enough beef and greens to keep your teeth occupied. There are of course other dishes to order, but if you’re on your first visit, do yourself a favour and stick to the house specialty, with maybe a side order of hot tauhu goreng if you can spare the space. On the downside, the noodle servings are a little skimpy, and the makcik taking your order is a little hard of hearing. Be gentle, yes, but let your voice be heard. Just be patient and tell yourself you’re about to partake of some of the good stuff.


Contact:
13, Medan Selera,
Jalan Thavers,
Jalan Kampung Pandan
Tel: N/A
Website:
N/A

Operating Hours:
Opening Hours: 7pm - late

Cuisine:
Local

Japanese Sweets & Coffee

Craving for dessert with a Japanese touch? The newly opened MOF: Japanese Sweets & Coffee might just be the pick-me-up you need. From Singapore, MOF actually stands for Ministry of Food and if that sounds very official and stiff to you, don’t worry, the dining experience at MOF is strictly casual.

Popular for their izakaya-style dining, MOF: Japanese Sweets & Coffee in KL will leave the snacks aside and focus on another MOF specialty – desserts. The spacious café boasts a very extensive menu ranging from coffee, frappés, soft serve ice-cream, gelato, shakes, and loads more. Flipping through the menu, you can be sure that you’ll be spoilt for choice.

Several items are worth highlighting though. Their soft-serve ice-cream is apparently a must-order as its consistency and texture is unlike any other – thick, creamy and flavourful even on its own (you can opt for a variety of toppings), the soft-serve owes it all to the fresh Hokkaido milk which it is made from. Another must-try are their imo (Japanese sweet potato) items. The potato is flown in from Japan as well, and is serve hot with orders of soft-serve ice-cream, red bean paste and more. If you have room left after all that, give their drinks a try as they have several unique flavours. To really sample what they have to offer, we recommend skipping dinner or lunch completely – it’d be worth it.


Contact:
Lot 1.02.00,
Pavilion KL
Tel: 03-2144 1489

Website:
N/A

Operating Hours:
N/A

Cuisine:
N/A

Frames

First impressions count and Frames certainly scored high in that aspect. Its chic and minimalist interior, chilled tunes, low lighting and an eclectic ambience derived from the frame-lined walls; each encasing an inspired moment or memory, roused great expectations. With headily excited taste buds, we were ready to “let (Frames’) masterpieces of taste paint a picture of bliss on my palette!” as promised by the menu. But truly, in this case, the pictures outshone reality.


A confused menu that didn’t quite cut the description of “fusion” left us stumped with what to order. Sambal Udang was followed by Chicken Tikka and a Cheeseburger - a bizarre succession that mirrored the rest of the menu which encompassed almost every continent. For starters, the mushroom soup, though not unpleasant to the palette, sat uncomfortably somewhere between creamy and chunky and when left untouched for a couple of minutes the mushroom pieces separated themselves from the liquid. The calamari is a better option as it came in a very generous portion. Full marks for portion size and this was the case throughout the meal.


The pasta selection was probably the most credible choice on the menu and we opted for the lasagne, a classic and a true test of good grub. An image of delicious pasta, minced beef, béchamel sauce and cheese entered our heads - the reality however was what appeared to be an entire tin of chopped tomatoes upon a bed of mince and pasta. The garnish consisted of lettuce leaves naked and pretty unexciting. The steak on the other hand was excellent. Despite no enquiry as to how we would like it done, it was served medium rare which was luckily, spot on. The ‘signature gratin’ on which it sat was delicious - cheesy and creamy, it was perfect comfort food.

The shared dessert was the highlight, a dark chocolate cake mousse to die for. The only complaint in this instance was a lack of dessert menu or options, but when you have a taste of heaven like this - perhaps you don’t need it.



Contact:
B-1-3 TTDI Plaza,
Jalan Wan Kadir 3,
Taman Tun Dr Ismail
Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-77225784

Website:
N/A
Operating Hours:
Opening Hours: 12PM – 11PM
Cuisine:
Western

Chiaroscuro

Chiaroscuro provides ample dining space on a lovely, shady terrace – perfect for a short afternoon coffee or a long romantic drink in the evening. Inside the restaurant, things have been kept simple and uncluttered. Starched white linen and sturdy wooden chairs are set around large tables that give guests ample space. It creates an ambience that is inviting and comfortable yet refined. The same theme is also evident in their simple yet elegant menus, detailing a decent-sized selection of Italian classic as well as more inventive interpretations of Mediterranean cuisine.

The rocket salad with cherry tomatoes and balsamic vinegar dressing (RM24) seemed an ideal choice for such a setting, proving to be light and refreshing. The Pasta Fresca (RM28), topped with pancetta, mozzarella, rocket and parmesan cheese also showed they had adequate mastery of their oven and a good understanding of the basics of Italian cooking. However, the porcini mushroom gnocchi with bacon bits and truffle oil (RM28) could have done better. The mushroom had been incorporated into the gnocchi, meaning a few grey blobs of starch were sparsely arranged on a plate and slavered with a cheese sauce. It tasted better than it looked but the presentation really needs reconsidering. They redeemed themselves with the homemade pork sausage (RM32), grilled “Luganega” and served on sautéed spicy kai lan broccolini style. Sounds alien, but tasted fantastic. The succulent sausage was meaty and juicy, going particularly well with the irony bite of the kai lan with just enough spice to lift the flavours and leave you wanting more. The tiramisu (RM16) was excellent too. It was a towering specimen of mascarpone and chocolate encased in a thin, crispy pastry: an ingenious presentation for the most well known of Italian desserts. The downside is the soggy, luscious, espresso-soaked biscuits were missing in their version.


Contact:
Ground Floor, 38 Bidara,
30 Jalan Bidara,
Off Jalan Nagasari,
Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2144 8006

Website:
www.chiaroscurokl.com
Operating Hours:
12pm – 3pm, 6:30pm – 12am (Mon – Fri)
6:30pm – 12am (Sat)
12pm – 11pm (Sun)

Cuisine:
Mediterranean

Nature's Vegetarian Restaurant

You would hardly know from peeking that this place serves only vegetarian food if not for the sign above the entrance. The décor is traditional Chinese: Three enormous porcelain figures Fook, Luk and Sau smiling benevolently at diners, the 18 Immortals cozy above the door and a ceramic Guan Yin by the kitchen. It seems you’re guaranteed a good meal.

Before we had a chance to settle ourselves on our stools, generous portions of seaweed strips fried in batter and rojak made with turnip, cucumber and pineapple are presented along with shots of refreshing calamansi juice.

The menu is extensive, everything meat-related here is made from soya beans, gluten and tofu. As this is a Chinese restaurant, we went straight for the main dishes, designed for sharing. We ordered the small Fried Black Pepper Chicken (RM15); the grassy taste of cilantro complemented the rich brown stock and there was a pleasant hint of sweetness to the tender faux-chicken. The small Golden Fried Beancurd (RM12) was creamy, light and topped with thickly sliced gourd, which had a slight sweet and bitter flavor to balance the gentle saltiness infused into the fried beancurd skin. We also ordered the Braised Bamboo Shoots and Beancurd Sheets (RM15); beancurd simmered in a clear brown sauce alongside soft bamboo pith, carrot slices, snow peas and dried Shiitake mushrooms. It tasted similar to the Golden Fried Beancurd, so just go for one of these beancurd dishes.

The pièce de résistance had to be the Crispy Fried Goose (RM10) with strips of thinly layered beancurd, light and flaky. They were on the oily side and deliciously addictive, tasting like ba kua with a hint of sweetness and smoky charcoal-grilled flavour. For dessert we had Almond Cream. It was lighter and foamier than usual, as though it had been put through a cappuccino machine. It wasn’t too sweet and would have been nice in a mug on a rainy day.


Contact:
24, Jalan Telawi 3,
Bangsar Baru,
Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2283 5523

Website:
N/A

Operating Hours:
Opening Hours: 9pm - 10pm (daily)
Cuisine:
Asian

Carlos Mexican Canteena

A shisha bar and Mexican restaurant rolled into one, Carlos Mexican Canteena has intrigued (and perhaps, confused) passers-by. This puzzling combination was worth exploring, so in we went, immediately noticing the “ruggedness” of the place, to put it nicely.

Many of the benches were torn and the wear and tear of the place in general was little concealed by the still cosy atmosphere and dim lighting. We were relieved when Santana and Gipsy Kings, which seemed more in line with the ambience we expected, replaced the loud, cheesy, pop music.

The food was the primary concern though, hungry as we were, and it arrived within minutes of ordering—a three-course feast for a reasonable spend was happily enjoyed. It was just a shame that there was little distinction between the courses with both of our starters and mains arriving at the same time, leaving us anxious to eat it all up before it went cold.

The dishes were satisfying with huge portions, served with generous lashings of guacamole and sour cream. I liked the Seafood Quesadilla the most, creamy and filling, but it isn’t massively different from the Mixed Tacos or Chicken Burritos. The Chili lacked, well, chili in a way that suggested the restaurant was afraid of being a true Mexican ambassador of cuisine. For an unusual experience, try the Mexican Special—a dessert like no other. We were baffled by the deep-fried pastry wraps filled with ice-cream and cheddar cheese. Ole indeed!


Contact:
Lot C3-03, Pavilion KL,
168 Jalan Bukit Bintang,
55100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2145 3996 / 03-2145 5996

Website:
N/A

Operating Hours:
Opening Hours: 10am - 3am (daily)

Cuisine:
South-American

City Golf

City Golf, barely six months old, is Malaysia’s first indoor golf venue. It is ideal for corporate events and lazy golfers who prefer not to go without a beer for too long. They can now negotiate one of the 50 courses available at any of Golf City’s four simulator bays while staying within touching distance of a well-stocked bar and restaurant.

Although it is bright and garish, much as you would expect of any sports bar, there are plenty of comfortable cushions, smart tables and even a balcony with a scenic view of the Bangsar surroundings. The main projector screen and TVs dotted around help ensure that you are kept up to date with the latest sporting news.

The highlight though, for someone who is not the biggest fan of the ancient game, is the excellent café food that they serve. There are no fancy steaks or dainty sushi rolls here, just old-fashioned burgers, pizzas, pastas, sandwiches and finger food – all done to a very high standard. This is supposed to be fuel for hungry golfers after all.

As unlikely as it sounds, the pizzas here are excellent. The rocket, feta and walnut pizza (RM26) is amongst the best in the neighbourhood and possibly the city. The thin crust, cheesy-creamy topping and tasty yeasty dough make it as good a pizza as can be experienced.

You wouldn’t be disappointed either with the chef’s burger (RM23). Your preferred temperature is actually jotted down, always a good sign that the kitchen takes their burgers seriously. The patty was juicy and delicious while the bun was moist, not dry and stale, which is a problem too often encountered. The fries need a bit of work but overall it was a very good burger.

The spaghetti meatball (RM22) had pasta cooked perfectly al dente and was topped with five rather generously sized meatballs. They were a tad tough to the bite but it was comforting to know that they were not riddled with fat, which explains their rather firm texture.

There is also a decent selection of drinks with reasonably priced bottles of wine and jugs of beer. Overall, for a more unusual night out, City Golf certainly fits the bill. Thankfully, for non-golf fans, the food is also very good.


Contact:
Level 4, Bangsar Shopping Centre,
285 Jalan Maarof,
59000 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2282 0011

Website:
N/A

Operating Hours:
Opening Hours: 12pm - 12am (daily)

Cuisine:
N/A

Pepper Lunch

Originating from Japan, Pepper Lunch lets you cook your own meal. What, you may ask, is the point of a restaurant if the food doesn’t arrive ready to eat at your table? There’s a good reason behind this novelty. Choose from any of their meals, consisting of meats like Australian beef, Danish salmon or chicken.

The ingredients arrive at your table in a high-powered electromagnetic cooker (in layman’s terms, a skillet), sizzling, ready to be prepared just the way you like it. There are instructions around the skillet and on a TV screen in the restaurant for us n00bs to follow. With outlets in Singapore, Indonesia, Taiwan, Hong Kong and the Philippines, it seems like you can’t go wrong with this DIY steak concept. Some of Pepper Lunch’s most popular items include the Hamburger Steak with Fried Egg, Curry Beef Pepper Rice with Cheese and the Rib Eye Steak. Prices average RM20 to RM35 per meal. We were told that their Shake! Shake! Salad is a popular order. Think McShaker fries, but healthier.



Contact:
Lot 1.54, Level 1, Pavilion KL,
168 Jalan Bukit Bintang,
55100 Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2141 0228

Website:
N/A

Operating Hours:
Opening Hours: 10am - 10pm (daily)

Cuisine:
Japanese

The Malay Tea House

The Malay Tea House is nestled between a fruit bar and a dry foods store. Walking in is like going back in time and landing in an old kampung house kitchen, complete with wooden benches, tiled table tops, oil lamps and keroncong music. Malay Tea House even offers pegaga, hempedu and other teas with healing properties. I would stay away from hempedu if I were you. Tea, healing properties or not, comes either in a pot or with ice and sweetened with jungle honey. All tea costs about RM6. A must-try is the Pink Guava Leaf iced tea that can kick iced lemon tea butt any day.

Another nostalgic element of the Malay Tea House is its menu—serving the regular Malay fare with a more traditional twist. The dishes here have names like Nasi Goreng Bonda and Nasi Ayam Herba. Appetizer selection is unfortunately limited to otak-otak, but it was pretty good. The laksa on the other hand, is no jaguh kampong. Possibly the best laksa you’ll get that’s not homemade; it was spicy and tangy with generous condiments. The fish broth will have you scraping your bowl dry.

Not everything on the menu was available, so I didn’t get to check out their Sago with Gula Melaka for dessert. I wasn’t interested in their selection of Malay cakes because there wasn’t much variety. The fried egg in the Nasi Lemak Rendang Tok came out cold and dry. But the side order of rendang it comes with was another story—dark, savory and tender. Prices range from RM1 for otak-otak to RM6 for a bowl of laksa. You might catch yourself reminiscing about your childhood, having a meal here is like being in a P.Ramlee movie.



Contact:
Shop 29, Ground Floor,
Central Market,
No. 10 Jalan Hang Kasturi,
50050 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-6280 3503

Website:
N/A

Operating Hours:
Opening Hours: 10am - 8pm (daily)

Cuisine:
Mediterranean

Olive & Pegaga

Sometimes you just have to admit defeat. All of us must remember the time when we realized we weren’t smart enough to be the next Einstein, pretty enough to be the new Kate Moss or good enough to ever play for Manchester United. Most of us have a good understanding of where we stand and how good we are at something. We take those defeats and move on.

After a visit to Olive & Pegaga, the over-whelming thought is that it seems to be run by people who have very little experience of the food service industry. From the over-pretentious menu to the inadequate service, my advice to the people funding this venture is to cut your losses or hire some better staff.

The risotto al funghi (RM39) was the pick of the bunch. It was creamy and full of mushrooms with the right rice texture and drizzled with lots of olive oil. But again, the portion size (or the lack of it) made it difficult to enjoy.

The baked spring chicken (RM39), though substantial, failed to impress. The halved chicken was stuffed with overcooked pasta, adorned with undercooked roast potatoes and covered with tomatoes that tasted like they came straight out of the tin. Adding a few more flavours seemed beyond the chef. Using tinned vegetables is completely fine with me, if the person knows how to coax the best out of it. But here we had laziness or a lack of imagination. Either way, it is an unforgivable crime in the kitchen.



Contact:
9, Solaris Mont Kiara,
Jalan Solaris 4,
Off Jalan Duta Kiara,
Mont Kiara
Tel: 03- 6203 6764

Website:
N/A

Operating Hours:
Opening Hours: 11am – 11pm (daily, closed on Sun)

Cuisine:
Mediterranean

Yin Futt Kuok Vegetarian

Vegetarian restaurant Yin Futt Kuok has been on Jalan Hang Lekiu for over a decade. Inconspicuous at first, you are forgiven for missing it as you head towards Jalan Gereja. To its regulars, it is hard to miss.

The menu here is typically Chinese and everything—and I do mean everything—is vegetarian. An individual bowl of your favorite noodle dish costs between RM5 and RM6. But if you’d rather have specific dishes eaten with rice, there’s a wide selection of faux meat and traditional Chinese vegetable options to choose from with prices between RM10 to RM30 per dish, depending on the size.

Food-wise, this is a down to earth place. For appetizer you can choose between peanuts and pickled slices of papaya. That’s it. Dessert depends on what’s available from their take-away pastry selection, which you can have at any point during your meal.

The Lotus Biscuit is pretty good. Not overpoweringly sweet, it has crumbly outer layers shaped like a lotus and melt-in-your-mouth pastry. You can choose from a variety of Chinese style noodle dishes; the Cantonese Style Yee Mee substituted with Mee Hoon is full of flavour even though it’s made with vegan ingredients. The Goose in Plum Sauce was not served with plum sauce. Instead, it came with ketchup. The 3 Kinds of Fried Mushroom was plump, juicy and fresh: delicately fried in a garlic and soy sauce and served on a generous, green bed of chunky broccoli slices. While the Fried Asparagus was buttery and only slightly spicy with a light coating of chili-based sauce, similar to belacan but lacking its pungent-ness.

Overall, two things will impress you about Yin Futt Kuok—the atmosphere, which is clean, quiet and unpretentious, and the freshness of the ingredients. The portions are large, so this is a place to bring friends to. But be punctual, this restaurant operates on aunty time, not Malaysian time.



Contact:
52, Jalan Hang Lekiu,
50100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2070 7468/ 03-2071 5352

Website:
N/A

Operating Hours:
Opening Hours: 1pm – 9pm (last order at 8.30pm)

Cuisine:
Local

Hatyai Street Food

A very popular dish of street food in Thailand is the braised pig trotters. It is especially well-known in Hatyai, the city that the restaurant is named after, where there is a strong Chinese influence. The braised pork with rice set (RM13) for one person was substantial, with subtle flavours of soy sauce and aniseed. There was plenty of wonderful gelatinous skin and the meat broke apart as soon as a fork came near it.

Equally impressive were the fish laksa (RM13) and Massaman lamb curry (RM22). The laksa was a cross between our assam laksa and curry mee, with wonderfully fresh coconut milk flavours that didn’t make it too rich. Massaman, a curry from the southern parts of Thailand, is also not often encountered on menus in Malaysia. The sweet, nutty gravy smothered the tender lamb and chunky potatoes for a filling and irresistible curry.

The two-meat combo of roast pork and Thai sausage (RM20) takes a bit more getting used to. Thai sausage is similar to our local Chinese sausage but sweeter, milder and with a lower fat content. The roast pork was made up of slices or pork belly with excellent crackling but the meat could have been juicier.

All the savoury dishes were very well-prepared but save room for the water chestnut dessert (RM5). Otherwise known as Red Ruby, pieces of water chestnut are covered with a striking red starchy coating for an addictive crunchy-chewy texture. Top it off with fresh coconut milk, crushed ice and slices of jackfruit and it was the perfect way to end a Thai meal.

You could easily hop on a plane and get to the streets of Thailand for the same food. But you really don’t need to go beyond the convenience and comfort of Bangsar for an introduction to authentic Thai street cuisine.




Contact:
63, Jalan Ara, One Bangsar,
59100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2283 3116

Website:
N/A

Operating Hours:
Opening Hours: 11am – 11pm (closed on Mon)

Cuisine:
Southeast

International Fresh Gourmet

International Fresh Gourmet claims to be a restaurant, cafe, bakery, chocolatier and even a tea salon. It certainly makes you wonder how they handle all of that at once, though they certainly have the space for it. Occupying two ground floor shop lots in Solaris Mont Kiara; one is a massive restaurant that looks like it could accommodate 80 easily while the other is an attached deli with even more seating. However, it seems the deli counter hasn’t been used for much more than storing canned drinks.

The place looks spanking new having been around for only a matter of months. But it may also be a sign that not many have ventured in. There doesn’t seem to be much glaringly wrong with the décor, but it does come dangerously close to being tacky. It isn’t scary but nothing about the ambience persuades you either.

A glance at the menu suggests that it is quite simply a Moroccan restaurant. They may have a few Mediterranean and Lebanese dishes as they claim, but they may well do better to just focus on marketing themselves as authentic Moroccan. It’s not as if Kuala Lumpur is flooded with Moroccan cuisine.




Contact:
8 & 10, Jalan Solaris 3,
Solaris Mont' Kiara,
50480 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-6203 7594

Website:
N/A

Operating Hours:
Opening Hours: 8am – 11pm

Cuisine:
Mediterranean

Yellow Cab pizzas

Yellow Cab pizzas are different. The pizzas come in three sizes: 12”, 14”—which is the size of a large pizza at other Kuala Lumpur pizzerias—and a generous 18”. Accordingly, they’re slightly more expensive than Dominoes. Crucially, the dough appears to be of a better quality, resulting in a thin crust that’s chewy and soft.

Yellow Cab doesn’t skimp when it comes to toppings either. The NY Classic Beef Pepperoni has an extra layer of its namesake ingredient under the cheese for a meatier flavour; Anchovy Lovers is heavy on cheese, olives and oregano so you get a decent blend of flavors without the saltiness of the anchovies taking centre stage; and the Roasted Garlic and Shrimp is dotted with rosebuds of plump shrimp nestled amongst herbs, garlic and gooey mozzarella cheese. There are two vegetarian options: Garden Special or Gourmet Garden. If you’re a vegan, they can even hold the cheese at no extra charge. Side dishes have a distinctive New York feel to them, with names like Charlie Chan’s Chicken Pasta, and Ham and Cheese Calzone. There is a second outlet in the Ampang Point area and delivery is for the KL area only. But if you’re hungry, why not drop by personally for some truly great pizza?




Contact:
50, Jalan Raja Abdullah,
Corner of Jalan Yap Ah Shak,
50300 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2694 2003

Website:
N/A

Operating Hours:
Opening Hours: 10am – 12am (daily, last order at 11pm)

Cuisine:
Western

Koryo-Won

Since we were familiar with the spacious outlet in Starhill Gallery, we were keen to try the Koryo-Won that opened in KLCC last year. It’s too bad the atmosphere here is cramped. Sandwiched between Imperial Chakri Palace and Al-Marjan, Koryo-Won looked forlorn on a busy Sunday afternoon.

Right after we ordered, we were served free appetizers called banchan and we got free refills of our ikan bilis and green chilis. When eating Korean food, we usually order plain white rice, as it can be quite salty. I think that anything else would clash with all the different flavours of the banchan. Another wonderful complement to white rice is the Jing-O Bokum (pan-fried cuttlefish and vegetables with chili sauce, RM39). It was oilier than what we recall at the Koryo-Won in Starhill, but the Gaibashi Kui (smoked charbroiled scallops with spicy BBQ Sauce, RM70) was tender and fresh.

Famous for their at-your-table smoked barbeque preparation, any of their hearty beef dishes are a must, particularly the spicy and sweet Special Jumuluck (smoked charbroiled rib-eye and sirloin lightly marinated with Koryo-Won’s special BBQ recipe, RM65). However, for an ambiance on par with price, Koryo-Won at Starhill still prevails.




Contact:
Unit 418/419, 4th Floor,
Suria KLCC, Jalan Ampang,
50088, Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2171 2189 / 03-2166 6189
Website:
N/A

Operating Hours:
Opening Hours: 11.30am - 10pm (daily)

Cuisine:
Korean

Marco’s Pizza

It’s hard to miss Marco’s Pizza. Located opposite the supermarket, the bright red walls and white furniture make the restaurant’s décor look tacky at first glance. However, Marco’s Pizza makes up for it by dishing out good Italian food without burning a hole in your pocket.

Start a hearty meal at this casual eatery with a bowl of their Creamy Wild Mushroom Soup (RM6.80). For pasta fans, the Penne Alla Royale (RM16.80) is highly recommended as the generous servings of fresh mushroom and chicken bring out the taste of the pesto sauce. Don’t forget to try their pizzas, prepared in front of you and baked in a brick oven. With comfort food at affordable prices, Marco’s Pizza scores high




Contact:
G18, Ground Floor,
Bangsar Village 1,
1 Jalan Telawi 1, Bangsar Baru,
59100 Kuala Lumpur
Tel: 03-2287 2933

Website:
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Operating Hours:
Opening Hours: 10am - 10pm (daily)

Cuisine:
Mediterranean