Jen's Underground @ Urbana Residences

Formerly a home-based teatime private kitchen, Jen's Underground is now a full-fledged cafe set beside the fifth-floor pool of Petaling Jaya's Urbana Residences condominium. The kitchen remains helmed by matriarch Jennifer Palencia, who brings heart to meals like savoury beef pot roast partnered with rice, fruits and vegetables (RM22); roasted chicken in spicy fried rice (RM14); a 'pantry pasta' made punchy with sun-dried tomatoes; and freshly baked meat pies.

It's a friendly space for escaping the crowds; relax and linger a little over a tenderly textured coconut pie (RM8) and crunchy-creamy chocolate strawberry pavlova (RM12). Jen focuses on honest 'community cooking,' hand-making her fare and relying on quality ingredients, including pesticide-free greens.

Jen's Underground

5th Floor, Urbana Residences, Jalan PJU 1a/46, Ara Damansara, 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. 

Open Tues-Sun, 11am-8pm. Tel: 016-249-8009

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Bayou Diner @ Bandar Kinrara

In the evening, Bayou fires up its barbecue, promising prodigious, protein-propelled platters: New Zealand short beef ribs are unmistakably smoked with hickory wood, while chicken legs are are brined for 12 hours and char-grilled with Cajun spices. Each can be paired with two side dishes, which include well-prepared choices like delicious russet potato gratin, potato croquettes, arancini-style rice balls, and the ultimate carb indulgence of deep-fried mac-and-cheese rolls. RM68 for the beef, RM38 for the chicken platter - worthwhile, considering either can easily feed two hungry persons. Flavourful stuff.

The BBQ selection is offered only for dinner, daily. At other times, check out Bayou's diner fare with a twist or three: The Mexican chicken burger comes with a deep-fried, crisply battered ground-meat patty, sprinkled with a little salsa (RM13.90), while the Moroccan lamb pizza is crowned with minced spiced meat, olives, tomatoes and onions on a crunchy base (RM14.90). The recipes turn out to be crowd-pleasing, targeting the majority of local palates - the burger, for example, mostly evokes the flavours of Malaysian street burgers.

Bayou Diner

51G, Jalan BK 5A/2, Bandar Kinrara 5, 47180 Puchong, Selangor, Malaysia.

Open Mon-Thurs, 10am-10pm; Fri, 11am-11pm; Sat, 9am-11pm; Sun, 9am-10pm. Tel: 03-8080-3200

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Stay up to date: The Eat Drink KL newsletter is sent by email to subscribers every Monday; it's the Klang Valley's foremost weekly round-up of new restaurant openings, F&B promotions & other tasty tidbits. Subscribe to Eat Drink KL Weekly for free via this following link: https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/5106C196432BB23D

Halab @ Bukit Bintang

Middle Eastern flavours take centre stage at Halab, with a slight emphasis on Syrian specialities.

For an acquired-taste adventure, order the Damascus favourite of shakriya, a full-fat yogurt stew with tender pieces of lamb - slurp it up like a broth and shower it over firm, fragrant rice (RM23++). It may seem a little strange at first (imagine having hot, tangy yogurt with savoury meat), but it works well for a hearty, no-fuss meal.

Dairy devotees can have a field day here - it certainly helps to not be lactose intolerant if you want to try the ackawi white cheese (RM10), a creamy cheese that's very salty (even more sodium-packed than the cured black olives it comes with), and the ayran yogurt-based cold beverage (RM6).

Prices are pretty reasonable - you can order a fresh and well-spiced beef kebab wrap, rolled with tahini sauce, tomatoes and onions for RM10++, and it's easily enough for lunch. Bonus points too for Halab's bright, spacious setting.

Win RM60 Vouchers For New Food, Shopping & Entertainment Fiesta

Culinary explorers, get your guessing caps on and win cash vouchers for the Klang Valley’s newest contemporary food and lifestyle market: Scheduled for the final weekends of June, July and August, with the first edition kicking off on June 30, the Quayside Fiesta is an event to bookmark for fans of the most engaging local F&B purveyors.

We have cash vouchers worth RM60 each for TEN (10) winners that you can spend on food at the market. Just guess the name of the township in Kota Kemuning where this exciting Quayside Fiesta market will be held. It's a brand-new location set amid a lively waterfront landscape of parks and promenades!

The first 10 correct responses (five on Facebook and five on Instagram) will win RM60 worth of cash vouchers each. Winners will be notified directly on Facebook or Instagram by June 27 and must collect their vouchers at the Registration Booth at the market on Saturday, June 30, between 5pm to 8pm.

Note: Winners will need to provide their full name, NRIC and contact number for identification purposes. All decisions by Eat Drink KL regarding this contest are final.

Enter the contest on our Facebook link for this post at https://www.facebook.com/eatdrinkkl/posts/415988022211448 or on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/p/BkOYGhAnHLC

(8 a.m. update: We have all our winners already! Thank you for participating!)

Garbo Spanish Gastro Bar @ Melia Kuala Lumpur

Paella by the pool? Melia Kuala Lumpur has been around for decades, but the hotel's newest F&B outpost has the potential to lure a fresh generation of food fans. The seafood paella (RM75 for a serving for two persons) is notable for its use of calrose rice, resulting in paella that's firm and sticky rather than moist; it's an interesting rendition that's well-executed enough, complete with a satisfying socarrat (crusty base).

The menu also features no fewer than twenty types of tapas, both hot and cold: Minced beef tenderloin meatballs are subtly spiced and served with pimento sauce (RM38), while yellowfin tuna loin is sliced and splashed with onions and olive oil (RM46). Competent, though prices may seem a bit steep for these.

Of course, there's sangria (RM37.30) on the beverage list; the Spanish Hills cocktail though has scant connection with Madrid or Barcelona (RM37.30; whisky, cointreau, lime juice). While there are several Spanish wines available by the bottle, the only options by the glass are Aussie (RM36).

Note that the Spanish menu is available only in the evening, starting 4pm daily; it is not offered for lunch.

Garbo Gastrobar

Level M2, Melia Kuala Lumpur, Jalan Imbi, Kuala Lumpur. Spanish menu starts 4pm daily.