Eat Drink KL

Lavinier @ Solaris Dutamas

2012-01-31T00:02:00.003+08:00

Replacing The Pink Sage at Solaris Dutamas (farewell, fluffy pancakes!), Lavinier promises a staggering selection of intriguing Yugoslav recipes. But some pledges are not so easily fulfilled, since not everything on this outlet's multiple-page menu is always available.

Polenta with extra virgin olive oil, cheese, fried egg & boiled spinach. It's honest cooking here, with few frills & no pretensions. That might not necessarily translate into wholly satisfying food, but we imagine it's what we'd find if we ever roam Croatia & Slovenia.

Burek _ a meaty Bosnian pie stuffed with minced lamb, onions & spices. Prices are low compared to KL's other Croatian eatery, the more elegant Dubrovnik nearby at Solaris Mont Kiara. This pie cost under RM10, but even Lavanier's most expensive items barely surpass RM30.

Scampi & mussels in Buzara sauce (a Croatian blend of wine, garlic & tomato paste). Business at Lavinier is rarely bustling, which means that food might end up being stored for too long. Nearly all the seafood in this bowl tasted a few days past their prime.

Double lamb patties with feta cheese in Sarajevo flat bread. A nice change from regular burgers; the thin bread, softer & lighter than pita, is much tastier than buns. Served with ajvar _ a thick but delicately flavored sauce made of paprika, peppers & olive oil that's superior to ketchup.

Dalmatina Pizza, topped with lamb bacon, smoked salmon, olives, fresh tomatoes & mozzarella. Lamb & salmon in one pizza? Sounds like something special, but the ingredients overwhelm each other with intense savoriness. A hearty pizza, nevertheless, for the hopelessly hungry.

Turkish coffee & chai tea latte.

Margarita & Bailey's. Lavinier's cocktail list looks impressive, but barely 10 percent of the beverages seems to be actually available.

Wine is nevertheless offered by both the bottle & the glass.

Lavinier Coffee & Bistro @ Solaris Dutamas,

A4-UG1-1, Solaris Dutamas, Kuala Lumpur.

Last orders at 10:30pm daily.

Ramen Taiko & Takehana

2012-01-30T00:02:00.007+08:00

Searching for pork can feel like a hassle in Mont Kiara, but these two outlets are worth the hunt on evenings when chicken, beef & fish aren't enough.

First up, Ramen Taiko, tucked inside Mont Kiara Shoplex. The restaurant has long cultivated a faithful following in this neighborhood, but it feels more popular than ever now, following a recent refurbishment & revamp of its menu.

Hakata Tonkotsu Ramen, bristling with a wealth of chashu slices, egg, bamboo shoots, fish cakes, corn & spring onions. Not as satisfyingly aromatic as what Pavilion's Hokkaido Santouka & Fahrenheit 88's Marutama serve, but it'll still muster at least a 'B' in our book.

Comfort food is what the crowds crave here. Something disarmingly simple & decisively rustic _ such as stewed duck with rice _ fits that bill perfectly.

Pumpkin croquettes, creamy & naturally sweet. Ramen Taiko's expanded menu includes sashimi, makis & more, ensuring that customers won't run out of things to try. Prices are marginally lower compared to chains like Rakuzen.

Oh, there are complimentary starters too. Pray for tamago stuffed with unagi.

Ozeki Hana-Awaka, a sparkling sake with sugary overtones.

Just across the road, Takehana occupies a discreet corner of Plaza Mont Kiara.

Meat that's reminiscent of char siew _ reasonably tender, but not richly caramelized.

Takehana's equivalent of siew yok. Fleshy & fatty, sweating in savory gravy.

Fluffy crab omelet in sweet-&-sour sauce. Could have been the handiwork of a Chinese kitchen.

Pork liver with chives. Stinkier than expected. Hold your breath while eating this!

Coming full circle, we end this entry with more porky noodles: Wakamai Miso Ramen _ hot, hearty & heartwarming. But unfortunately, unlike Ramen Taiko, Takehana serves ordinary hard-boiled eggs instead of seasoned ones.

Sake makes the earth move under our feet (we feel the sky tumbling down).

Ramen Taiko,

Mont Kiara Shoplex, Kuala Lumpur.

Open daily for lunch & dinner.

Tel: 03-2096-1822

Takehana,

Plaza Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur.

Spasso Milano @ Pavilion

2012-01-29T00:02:00.003+08:00

Returning to Spasso Milano's relocated branch for more porky revelry.

Earlier entry on Spasso @ Pavilion: January 15.

Entries on Spasso @ Ampang (pork-free): Dec. 3, 2010 & Dec. 8, 2010.

Prosciutto di parma with buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes, basil & pesto mayo on grilled panini. Warm, thin & toasty, this is a richly tasty substitute for bulky sandwiches. Customers can choose from a wealth of fillings, ranging from a butcher's cornucopia of cold cuts (bresaola, pancetta, speck & more) to assorted mushrooms, asparagus, zucchini & Provolone cheese.

Saffron risotto with pan-fried Italian sausages. Fragrantly scented rice, pungently savory meat. Confident cuisine, showcasing sheer simplicity.

OK, it's not all about the hog here. One of our favorite Spasso recipes is chicken saltimbocca _ hearty fillets of surprisingly juicy meat (fowl instead of the traditional veal), its flavor rounded by a blend of sage, rosemary, beef salami & Taleggio cheese in white wine sauce.

The Tallegio cheese in the saltimbocca had us craving some more stinky sensations. Perhaps the best Italian place for fromageophiles is Bangsar Village's Garibaldi, which has some of the city's most thoughtfully constructed cheese platters.

Everything from Parmigiano with pear & balsamic vinegar reduction to Robiola Bresciana _ melted raw cow's milk cheese _ on bread croutons with hazelnuts is available here.

A tasting combo of Garibaldi's cheeses. We can never remember what's what, but there's Robiola 3 Latti (baked one-month-aged cow, sheep & goat milk cheese), alongside other varieties flavored with truffles, garlic & pepper, some supposedly cultivated near European lakes.

Getting bubbly at Spasso.

Blushing a deep red at Spasso.

Spasso Milano,

Level Six, Pavilion, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2148-0688

Robot Sushi

2012-01-28T00:02:00.001+08:00

This 1 Utama outlet seems to have changed its moniker & management several times over the years; we prefer one of its former names, SushiGroove.

Hits and misses abound on the menu. The Fusion Dragon Maki, featuring salmon torched with shrimp tempura, beef & mango, is respectably presented, but the beef could be more succulent, while the fruit feels overpoweringly tart.

Sweet Sakura Roll, with tamago, cucumber, tempura bits & sakura denbu (pink fish flakes). Sounds promising, but tastes blandly forgettable.

Avatar Roll: tuna, avocado & cream cheese topped with eel, tobiko & teriyaki sauce. The only satisfying choice among these three makis, thanks to the flavorsome eel & its inspired pairing with other creamy components.

Saving the best for last: Japanese bibimbap. Pure pleasure for carb addicts _ a hearty heap of fragrant fried rice, bathed in an umami-rich blend of bonito flakes, chicken & raw egg.

Two types of sparkling sake izeko: honey ginger & tsuya meku jelly. Fairly unique, but too pricey at RM40+ each. Think of them as premium cocktails, perhaps.

Robot Sushi,

1 Utama.

Pork Victorious @ Verona Trattoria

2012-01-27T00:02:00.001+08:00

When Verona Trattoria opened last month, pork was a no-show. But the call of the hog is unconquerable; now, the savory scent of porcine entrees permeates this outlet.

Earlier entries on Verona Trattoria: December 29 & January 3.

Parma ham, usually served here with rock melon, but the kitchen ran out that evening & rested the prosciutto on a simple salad instead. Great to get the gustatory juices going.

Spaghetti aglio olio with fried pork belly. A minimal-fuss recipe, nicely executed. Pasta & protein make for perfect partners.

Roasted pork loin with orange sauce. Not the most tender cut, but ideal for a low-fat meal. Could even work for Chinese New Year festivities, thanks to the citrus twist.

Braised pork ribs, a sacrament of succulence, drenched in deliciously meaty gravy. With so many contenders jostling for the accolade of the Klang Valley's best ribs, Verona Trattoria's can't win, but it's in the Top 50.

Can't take pork? No fear; hop next door to Bistro a Table for Chef Isadora's latest.

Tian of char-grilled prawns _ big, bouncy crustaceans, with pomegranate for a tannic tang & avocado for a velveteen-rich creaminess.

Veal sweetbread with poached duck egg salad. We love sweetbread & we adore egg, but we very rarely experience the two together. A heavenly combo.

Baked onion with black autumn truffles, organic egg & Gruyere cheese. A robust, rustic recipe, employing ingredients with a soil-bound power to harness the rich flavors of nature.

Wrapping up with wine, finally available at Verona Trattoria at prices starting from RM80.

Verona Trattoria & Bistro a Table,

Section 17, Petaling Jaya.

Antipodean @ Tan & Tan

2012-01-26T00:02:00.015+08:00

Almost a year after becoming a haven for brunch addicts in Bangsar, Antipodean has breached KL's city center, opening a branch in Menara Tan & Tan that should reap similar success.

Entry on Antipodean at Bangsar: February 21, 2011.

Antipodean is the rare Western-cuisine pork paradise within a 500-meter range of KLCC, with a menu identical to the Telawi outlet's. The all-day breakfast platters & sandwiches here are worth the calories, particularly this cinnamon-dusted French toast with bacon & maple syrup.

Dump the diet at the door & savor some sweet-salty toast topped with a trinity of thick marmalade, feta cheese & rosemary. Sounds like a recipe for culinary chaos, but it makes an assertively aromatic statement. Served with bacon too, naturally.

Kiwi lamb burger with bacon. Mary might sacrifice her little lamb if she knew it would produce a patty this succulent, hitting precisely the proper notes of gaminess.

Pumpkin & sage orecchiette with more feta & more bacon (the pinnacle of porky perfection!). Difficult to share without sparking a fight for every melt-in-the-mouth morsel of herb-fragrant pumpkin & pasta.

Hit us with your best (caffeinated) shot! Fire away...

Our only lament: this Tun Razak outlet's business hours of 7:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. (weekdays only) aren't as convenient as the Bangsar branch's. Let's launch a petition for late-night coffee!

For this opening week, customers have enjoyed Free Coffee Days (a serving per person). Won't last much longer, but it's a crowd-pleasing tactic. Maybe there'll be Free Bacon Days eventually (we can't help going hog-wild over Antipodean's meaty, savory slices of bacon)!

Antipodean Cafe @ Jalan Tun Razak,

Menara Tan & Tan, Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2161-0752

Dessert Parlour @ BSC

2012-01-25T00:02:00.005+08:00

Is there truly always room for dessert? This sugar specialist will help test that sticky theory, taking up space on Bangsar Shopping Center's fourth floor beside the Burp food court.

Customers can lounge in cushy comfort indoors or breathe Bangsar's unfiltered air on the alfresco terrace. Everyone from restless children to ladies who lunch may feel therapeutically tranquilized here (until the inevitable glucose rush).

Malaysian treats are the highlight, so banish all aspirations for macarons, creme brulee & tiramisu. Dessert Parlour's 'leng chee kang' (RM4.50+) _ a cooling combination of lotus seeds, gingko nuts & what-not _ is what the doctor might recommend for our what-the-heck weather.

Pulut hitam (RM4.50+) _ black rice pudding with coconut milk. The terrible truth, however, is that Dessert Parlour makes mediocre versions of these familiar recipes. Shoppers at BSC can stop here for a pick-me-up, but nothing we tried would warrant a special visit.

Skip the banana fritters with ice cream & honey (RM7.50+). Disastrously bland & doughy.

For a better brush with syrupy stuff, head to this enclave's other mall, Bangsar Village, where Garibaldi serves treats both creative & crazy-tasty, such as bourbon panna cotta with strawberries marinated in aged balsamic vinegar.

White chocolate mousse with dark chocolate pipe. Might be even more decadent if milk chocolate played a role in this, to create a menage a trois of the most seductive ingredients known to man. Nothing teases & titillates the taste buds like chocolate.

Crispy meringue with chocolate chip parfait & dark cherries. Sure, it might seem unfair to pit Dessert Parlour's cheaper offerings against Garibaldi's, which hover near the RM30 price range. But if cost isn't an issue, then sweet satisfaction lies with the Italians.

Make bubur cha cha, cendol & ais kacang while the sun shines!

Dessert Parlour @ Bangsar Shopping Center,

Kuala Lumpur.

Open through 10pm.

SekMeChoy

2012-01-24T00:02:00.002+08:00

This no-frills eatery in Salak South is dishing out decent deals for the Chinese New Year season, feeding congregations of ten for RM324 nett (without tea).

Reserve a slot in SekMeChoy's air-conditioned section (which has as few as five tables _ less than a quarter of the outlet's capacity) & raise your chopsticks for the salmon-jellyfish yee sang.

SekMeChoy's signature bak kut teh is the centerpiece of this set, with refillable hot broth. Distinctively peppery, awash with plenty of meaty-fatty pork belly & tail & bouncy intestines.

Spicy steamed tilapia, fleshy & flaky, with tangy tomatoes, stinging cili padi & crunchy shallots.

Pork shank with dried oysters & mushrooms. Deliciously emblematic of ingredient-driven Oriental cooking, thanks to meat & accompaniments braised to sumptuous succulence.

Prawns served cold with pineapple salad. Gorgeously presented & relatively healthy, but not the most pleasurable crustacean preparation. Steam them with rice wine or stir-fry them instead.

Pak choy with fish maw. Nothing wrong with this, but it probably won't be remembered by the time the Year of the Snake slithers in.

Bean curd skin with broccoli & cauliflower. Also more of a stomach-filler than a scene-stealer.

Lotus leaf fried rice with waxed sausages. Well-prepared, though the sausages are not as perfumed as the most intoxicating ones out there.

Lemongrass-laced jelly with lychee. A tropical herbal twist to the standard chilled dessert. Potentially an acquired taste, but refreshing all the same.

SekMeChoy,

195, Jalan Besar, Salak Selatan, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-7982-3132

Garibaldi

2012-01-23T00:02:00.001+08:00

Within 14 months, Garibaldi has evolved into a true treasure trove of Italian fare _ arguably one of KL's most under-appreciated fine dining restaurants.

Meals here start with a surprise. Will the amuse bouche be foie gras mousse?

If the chef is in the mood for seafood, perhaps he'll serve prawn mousse ...

... or swordfish carpaccio with watermelon, dainty & delicate.

Pasta is our pursuit; we bite blissfully into each slippery strand, every slick string, crazy for the combo of carbs with an infinite spectrum of interesting ingredients. Fettuccine with langoustine & baby zucchini flowers is as fulfilling as it looks.

Pappardelle with wild venison ragu _ rustic, rich & so robust; many might recognize this as a Jamie Oliver recipe, but it's really supposed to evoke the cuisine of Piedmont in northern Italy. Thankfully, there's no need now to fly there to taste this.

Black squid ink ravioli with crab meat & sweet dried tomatoes on potato emulsion. Beautifully presented, this is the rare squid ink recipe that somehow won't stain your lips & teeth. Flavors of both the sea & the soil come together to exquisite effect.

Strozzapreti with knife-chopped rabbit ragu & rucola pesto. Born in the Year of the Rabbit, I've always been fascinated with the thought of eating rabbit meat, and I order it every time I see it on the menu. Pseudo-cannibalism, maybe.

Buckwheat lasagnetta with lamb ragu, smoked scarmoza cheese & pumpkin cream _ the polar opposite of typical lasagna in KL. Steer clear of stodgy, soggy layers of pasta sheets elsewhere, washed out in artificial-tasting tomato sauce.

For the vegetarians, the force-of-nature flavors of the garden spring forth from this spaghetti, filled with fresh tomatoes, crunchy asparagus & broad beans, finished with parchment-thin slices of delicate 'robiola ai tre latti" cheese.

Garibaldi offers more than pasta, of course. The sweeping selection of seafood & meat warrants a whole new post, but for now, we can praise this pan-seared line-caught sea bream fillet with candied apples, black rice puree & whitebait omelet. Each component has its part to play, making the sum of the plate tastier than its individual parts.

Complimentary mousse-like dessert, always appreciated.

Complimentary cake-like dessert, also appreciated.

Berry bubbly cocktails.

Earlier entries on Garibaldi: December 23, 2010, December 24, 2010, January 4, 2011, November 11, 2011 & January 14, 2012.

Garibaldi,

Bangsar Village, Kuala Lumpur.

Lao Gang & LSY

2012-01-22T00:02:00.001+08:00

One could spend a year eating out in Puchong & not finish visiting all the restaurants here. Let's take the first step, starting with two Chinese outlets _ Lao Gang & LSY Claypot.

Lao Gang's pork knuckle is a behemoth for RM48. Irrefutably succulent, enveloped in a melt-in-the-mouth layer of fat & crisply flavorful skin.

Claypot chicken with yam. Comfort food, pure & simple.

Battered squid with onions. Surprisingly tangy; must be something in the sauce.

Macau prawns, soaked in creamy, tomato-based gravy. Not bad, but not brilliant.

Escargots with scrambled egg in puff pastry. A fun combo; the morsels of pleasantly chewy snails contrast well with the milky eggs.

Mantis prawns. Tastes like crunchy, calorie-laden junk food.

Macau tomato eggs with pork slices. Skip this steaming heap of way-too-tart glop.

Silky bean curd, topped unfortunately with a hillock of horribly salty fried radish.

Mixed veggies. Prices here are fair; this massive meal cost slightly under RM180.

OK, next up: LSY Claypot, a five-minute drive from Lao Gang.

It's worth visiting LSY just for the claypot chicken rice. Bristling with sweet meat & pork sausages, it's a carb-protein combo that's so aromatic & so addictive.

Porridge, thick & tasty. Would be even better with a sprinkling of pork intestines.

Claypot loh shu fun. Excellent; we really should have Chinese food more often.

Chunks of chicken wings, stuffed with veggies & what-not. Finger-lickin' good.

The sole misfire at LSY: limp slivers of pork trotters, drowned in watery soy sauce.

A little green goes a long way. Ergo, a little green is more than enough.

Lao Gang,

Jalan Puteri 1/8, Bandar Puteri Puchong.

LSY Claypot,

Jalan Puteri 2/4, Bandar Puteri Puchong.

Millesime

2012-01-21T11:24:00.003+08:00

Returning to Millesime. It's been far too long.

Earlier entries on Millesime: Oct. 18, 2010, Oct. 20, 2010 & Oct. 22, 2010.

Millesime has been spruced up a bit since 2010, with more furnishing & a patio-like dining area. It's a real sanctuary of elegance, perhaps the best-looking eatery at Solaris Dutamas.

Since one of Chef Max Chin's favorite ingredients seems to be cecina _ Spanish air-dried beef _ it was no surprise to have it wrapped snugly around artichoke for an invigorating amuse bouche, alongside a creamy-soft slice of chicken flam.

Mille feuille of octopus carpaccio with avocado mash & a tian of Pacific crab meat, mizuna greens & saffron aioli. Full-bodied flavors from the sea, intertwined with soil-bound, herbaceous notes for a richly complex starter.

Poele of foie gras on Pedro Ximenez sherried apple soubise with caramelized sweetbread & shaved fennel with port wine jus. Goose liver with veal pancreas? Excellent.

Hokkaido sea scallops with wine-braised beef cheeks, cumin-flavored carrot puree & red wine demi-glace. The firm, fleshy chew of the scallops & beef worked wonderfully together, with the meat supplying the bulk of the flavor.

Palate cleanser of passion fruit sorbet.

Tian of lamb loin & braised red cabbage with celeriac mousseline, puy lentils & thyme reduction. Max might not be cooking every night here these days, but he still oversees the menu, confidently executed by his right-hand man, Patrick.

Baked French Valrhona bittersweet chocolate brick with rum-macerated seasonal berries & vanilla ice cream. Note: the cost of the set dinner here now starts at RM220++ per person without wine, compared to RM150++ in 2010. Inflation catches up with the best of us.

With maitre d' Albert at the helm, the ideal bottle can always be found.

Millesime,

Solaris Dutamas, Kuala Lumpur.

Closed Sundays.

Grand Imperial & Esquire Kitchen

2012-01-21T00:02:00.002+08:00

The Lunar New Year feasting is in full swing; BSC's Grand Imperial seems swamped with diners, with few empty tables even on weeknights (this photo was taken early in the evening).

Grand Imperial's 'lap mei fan' costs RM40++ for the smallest portion, which feeds two or three. The rice is well-prepared, but in comparison, the Oriental Group offers more richly flavored waxed meat & sausages. Beware: at peak hours, this can take nearly 60 minutes to serve.

We ordered 'lamian,' expecting to savor the thinnest of handmade noodles. What emerged was this thick version, reminiscent of 'pan mee' instead of the fine threads that outlets like Dragon-I & Crystal Jade offer. Still tasty though, especially with the excellent 'sui kow.'

Grand Imperial has a great wine list, but we'd deduct points since there's nothing by the glass.

A more wallet-friendly eatery for this season is the venerable Esquire Kitchen, which has branches scattered in malls across the Klang Valley.

Salmon yee sang, a midsize serving for about RM40.

Esquire Kitchen features one of the cheapest CNY sets around, about RM150 for six people, kicking off with Shanghai-style fried rice cakes.

Sweet corn soup with vegetarian "shark fin" soup, the conscience-friendly choice.

Fried chicken with herb sauce. Everything on the set is OK; not incredible, but not inedible.

Sweet-sour garoupa.

Bean curd with pumpkin sauce.

Crunchy veggies.

'Luo han gao' with white fungus. Perhaps the least sugary version ever.

Grand Imperial Restaurant @ Bangsar Shopping Center, Kuala Lumpur.

Esquire Kitchen @ IOI Mall, Puchong.

Plan B @ Publika

2012-01-20T00:02:00.018+08:00

The BIG Group has become so massive, its name is now an understatement. Its youngest offspring emerged extremely healthy from Publika's cocoon of cafes this week, twinned in both name & menu to Plan B in Bangsar Village.

Note that this branch could someday be christened Journal by Plan B, potentially offering discounts for journalists. That concept remains in its infancy, but this collection of typewriters at the storefront might be a harbinger of things to come.

Publika's Plan B is taking baby steps to move out of its Bangsar brother's shadow, serving several selections available only here at Solaris Dutamas, such as falafel with tomatoes, tabbouleh, pickled red cabbage & cucumber on chickpea spread in pita bread. Hearty & more than competently prepared; we imagine even the folks at Al-Amar might approve.

From the Middle East to Mother Russia: hot, wholesome borscht, brimming with cabbage, beetroot & barley, topped with sour cream & parsley. A bargain for RM10++; it's nearly impossible to sample this soup at a KL eatery, but to find one so fine seems like a miracle.

Asia is represented by lamb briyani, fragrant with spices but not fiery-spicy. We like it this way, though some might say it lacks the oomph of hardcore Indian cooking.

European euphoria: Slow-cooked ox tongue with hot English mustard on wholemeal bread, served with gherkin & chips. A sandwich well-suited to encapsulate what BIG outlets offer; many of us relish the range of recipes here, while others insist it's all overrated & derivative.

It's not a BIG meal without dessert. The peanut butter milk chocolate cookie could be better, since its spongy texture is a turnoff (that's not the way the cookie should crumble!), but the flourless chocolate cake should please patrons who prefer light, mousse-like sweets.

It's a small world after all: beverages from opposite ends of the earth _ New Zealand Fire Road Pinot Noir & Brazil Rio Verde Yellow Bourbon coffee.

All in all, this Plan B can bear the BIG family name with pride. And since The BIG Group is still heavily pregnant with ideas, this won't be the runt of the litter.

Entry on Plan B @ Bangsar Village: November 28, 2010.

Plan B @ Solaris Dutamas,

Publika, Kuala Lumpur.

Living Food & Earth Food

2012-01-19T00:02:00.002+08:00

Living Food: Round Two. Earth Food: Round Three.
Earlier entry on Living Food: January 5, 2012.

Earlier entries on Earth Food: January 17, 2011 & November 9, 2011.

Need an interlude from festive feasting? Head to Living Food for a plate of guacamole _ creamier than butter but far healthier, fueled by avocado-powered nutrition & gussied up with tangy mango salsa & triangles of dehydrated rosemary bread.

We packed a roast duck sandwich to go, featuring carrots, cranberries & seeds in Living Food's own focaccia. Looked wilted a few hours later, but still tasted more interesting & wholesome than Subway, with fresh meat instead of processed cuts.

The salad selection here is surprisingly compact, comprising only four or five recipes, but we imagine that bona fide vegetarians would have no beef with this mix of Napa cabbage, avocado, cranberries, cucumber, seeds & sprouts in ginger dressing.

Desserts are mainly dairy-free items with unrefined ingredients. Living Food's almond milk brownie is full of grainy goodness, but what tickles our taste buds is the Nanaimo _ a no-bake, triple-layer Canadian confection with a crumbly base, a pudding-like midsection & a thin topping of dark custard.

Japanese drip coffee & house-blend chai tea.

Another health food outlet that keeps us coming back: Earth Food, which now has an ecologically friendly car wash where our Myvi can be scrubbed with biodegradable cleansing products.

A cozy little plant shop has also opened here, perfect for fans of flora.

Feed the fish! Check out this pool where our finned friends swim. Be sure to ask Earth Food's proprietors for some bread to toss them.

Feed the humans! Charcoal noodles fried with sesame oil, a guilt-reduced substitute for greasy hawker concoctions. More flavorsome than expected.

Stir-fried red cabbage & walnuts. Or is it purple? OK, so red cabbage is purple cabbage.

Potentially even more doctor-approved than frozen yogurt, Earth Food serves eggless ice cream, using cane sugar for a lower glycemic index.

Flavors include decaffeinated coffee, Belgian chocolate, vanilla, peppermint with almond candy, as well as nutmeg with rum & raisin (think eggless eggnog).

The paintings on these walls are all for sale. Ten percent of proceeds go to the Pusat Kebajikan Good Shepherd Teenage Center.

Wine made with organic grapes, but costing not much more than regular vintages.

And with this entry, Eat Drink KL marks three years in existence. After more than 1,200 posts, we haven't withered ... yet.

Living Food @ Tun Razak,

Menara Tan & Tan, Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2181-2778

Earth Food,

289, Jalan Ampang Hilir, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-4251-5551

Oriental Viva

2012-01-18T00:02:00.004+08:00

It feels like every time Chinese New Year beckons, Malaysia's Oriental Group of Restaurants rolls out another branch in another shopping mall.

Only last year, The Han Room stormed The Gardens, becoming a swift, sturdy success. Anticipating the Dragon's reign, the Oriental Group has now infiltrated Viva Home, enlarging a commonwealth of Chinese cooking that includes The Ming Room, Maju Palace & Noble House.

A symbol of the season: our first yee sang of 2012, vamped up with prawns, salmon sashimi & soft-shell crab. RM48++ for the smallest serving, sufficient for three of us.

Braised goose web (fleshier than scrawny chicken feet), a classic recipe with 10-head abalone & broccoli. If you've enjoyed the food at the Oriental Group's other outlets, rest assured that the same standards apply here, extending to the service & menu selection.

Waxed duck with "seng kua." A complementary coupling of meat & veggies, with the salty fowl punching up the flavor of the satin-smooth sponge gourd.

Whole pork trotter with sea cucumber. A whole lotta meat (tender as can be), a whole lotta fat (sinful as it comes), a whole lotta fun (certain as the sun).

Our full-out favorite, 'lap mei fun,' supremely satisfying. We'd love an extra string of the creamy liver sausage, which eclipses all other waxed meat in its peerless, perfumed richness.

Raging for more rice? This fried one is a curious but comforting creation _ wet like claypot rice, baptized in a mix of raw egg & abalone sauce.

A narrow but nicely priced range of wine is available by the bottle, starting from RM110++.

Oriental Viva @ Viva Home Shopping Mall,

Jalan Loke Yew, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-9283-8833

Coffee Societe

2012-01-17T00:02:00.014+08:00

If Solaris Dutamas is ever hit by floods, it might be awash in torrents of coffee, not rainwater, thanks to the overflowing number of java joints opening here.

Of course, an outlet like Coffee Societe won't be caught trafficking solely in caffeine; what pairs better with a cappuccino after all than cakes? Certainly not Chinese cabbage.

Coffee Societe's dark chocolate & red velvet slices, sourced from the proprietor's baking buddy, won't revolutionize the industry, but every bite of these creamy cakes is still worth nibbling. Nevertheless, the focus here is on the coffee; what else would we expect from a place where the managing director's business card lists his title as "Coffee Lover."

Try the macarons too. Ordinarily, we're not fans of fruity flavors, but the lychee & tangerine ones here are something special, with (SPOILER ALERT!) tiny bits of preserved pulp embedded in the ganache for a chewy surprise.

Cafe latte & iced hazelnut chocolate. Not bad, but we've really sipped too much coffee recently. Time to step away from the barista, put the latte down & kick it over to the police officer.

Coffee Societe's savories sound a little uninspired (spaghetti bolognese, sausages & lamb chops), which offers us the opportunity to return to The Red Beanbag, also at Solaris Dutamas.

Earlier entries on The Red Beanbag: December 12 & December 20.

The Red Beanbag has conjured creative names for its recipes. This seaweed risotto _ an Asian-flavored rice platter, wet with gravy & topped with seared scallops, prawns & clams _ is called "Don Scallopino," a moniker that tickles the Godfather fan in us.

"Skyscraper" _ not made of glass, not made of paper. Perhaps the fluffiest pancakes in KL now (we counted six or seven in this stack), boosted with bananas, strawberries & maple syrup.

Was "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds" taken? The Red Beanbag's fizzy thirst quenchers include Yellow Submarine (fresh lemonade) & Ob-la-di Ob-la-da (soda, cucumber juice, mint).

CoffeeSociete @ Solaris Dutamas,

D4-G3-3A, Solaris Dutamas, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-6211-5523

Mz. Nina Bakery Cafe

2012-01-16T00:02:00.003+08:00

Is Mz Nina Bakery Cafe at Solaris Dutamas somehow linked to Malaysian dance-pop songstress Mizz Nina (this is a take-oh-oh-over)? Houston, we have no idea.

From Eggs Benedict & nasi kerabu for brekkie to chicken roulade & grilled lamb rack for dinner, Mz Nina applies the something-for-everyone approach to its menu. But we homed in purely on its prominently showcased pastries & cakes for this visit.

Bread, baby, bread: snowy-mountain cinnamon rolls & nutty cobblestone buns (RM3.80) , all fresh & fragrant enough to make their birth-oven proud.

Fruit pavlova, filled with more mousse than meringue (we kinda like it better this way) & finished with perfectly ripe, plumply juicy berries. Cakes cost about RM16 per piece.

Dark-milk-white chocolate cake. Uber-creamy, ultra-dreamy.

A hybrid of mille-crepe & Mississippi mudcake, with a buttery cocoa richness.

Carrot cake. Not one of those desserts that's easy on the eyes but flat-tasting on the tongue. Beware: a fat slice of this supplies both visual & oral stimulation.

Mz Nina is a liquor-free zone, but there's coffee in all its incarnations to fan the buzz.

Let's keep the sweet stuff swirling for a little longer; Mz Nina isn't Solaris Dutamas' only venue for carrot cakes. For comparison, head to The Red Beanbag for its lemon cream-topped version, densely packed with carrots, pineapples & raisins. Moist & complex.

Earlier entries on The Red Beanbag: December 12, 2011 & December 20, 2011.

The true treasure trove of sugar at Solaris Dutamas is nevertheless Ben's Independent Grocer inside Publika. Can't get more saccharine than hand-molded, sticky-finger chunks of sea-salt caramel fudge by British confectioner Burnt Sugar.

Also at Ben's: G-Stick gelati _ pistachio, rocky road & banoffee _ a sumptuous, upper-crust repackaging of the ice-cream-on-a-stick adored by adults, adolescents & ankle-biters alike.

Earlier entry on Ben's Independent Grocer: October 23, 2011.

Mz Nina @ Solaris Dutamas,

D2-G3-9, Solaris Dutamas, Kuala Lumpur.

Spasso Milano @ Pavilion

2012-01-15T00:02:00.013+08:00

Spasso Milano has moved from Ampang to Pavilion, looking to lure a larger crowd hankering for Italian fare on the mall's sixth floor.

The biggest surprise: the restaurant now serves pork! Nevertheless, its famed afternoon antipasti buffets should remain available, though we're not certain whether prices will be hiked.

Fileja, a doughy Calabrian delight _ handmade with durum wheat, topped with grilled pork belly & tossed in garlic, extra virgin olive oil, oregano & chili flakes. An "aglio olio" preparation, one of the most pleasing pastas we've had this year (OK, sure, it's only January).

Air-dried speck ham & smoked scamorza cheese pizza. You know how Domino's & Pizza Hut frequently promote new creations that they claim will be deliciously meaty or divinely cheesy? Spasso Milano's wood-fired wonder fulfills those descriptions.

Pork Valdostana _ escalopes topped with baked ham & fontina cheese. Warning: Spasso Milano isn't the place for healthy eating. Besides the obvious preponderance of pasta, pork & cheese, the sodium level in many of these recipes is more than perceptible.

Traditional spirits of Italy _ from grappa to limoncello _ are offered by the glass (hurray!). Allegrini Grappa Di Amarone & Limoncello, Agriarti.

Grappa Di Brunello, Banfi 2009 & Grappa Di Casalferro. They'll put hair on your chest!

Bergami, Agriarti & Liquiri, Agriarti, for a honeyed finish.

Teething troubles are evident; the service team is often diligent but occasionally dazed, resulting in the erratic delivery of dishes. It'll get better, we're confident of that.

Earlier entries on Spasso Milano @ Ampang: December 3, 2010 & December 8, 2010.

Last orders are at 10:30 pm daily. Brilliant!

Spasso Milano,

Level Six, Pavilion, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2148-0688

Black Truffles @ Garibaldi

2012-01-14T00:02:00.003+08:00

Fade to black: With the season for Alba's aromatic white truffles behind us, it's time to genuflect before the altar of midnight-hued fungi instead.

Garibaldi recently brought in Norcia black truffles from Italy's Umbria province, priced at RM10++ per gram. Shaved here over a bed of gently seared, velveteen-rich ox tongue. Less fragrant than its paler counterpart, but it has a more discernible soil-bound taste of terra firma.

Another recommended preparation, with warm, veal-stuffed ravioli. By now, Garibaldi might also be serving a slightly pricier black truffle, the 'pregatio' variety.

Truffle-free but terrific: Lobster panna cotta _ ultra-creamy mousse filled with chunks of resilient-fleshed crustacean meat. Not on the menu but worth requesting.

Interested in Italian but envisioning something less elaborate? Italian Tomato might save the day, just a five-minute drive from Garibaldi.

Earlier entry on Italian Tomato: January 3.

Sweet, slightly smoky & subtly tangy: wood-fire oven-roasted pumpkin soup, enhanced with what seems like slivers of orange peels for an enjoyable chew.

Spaghetti vongole. Less than al dente; if you can forgive that, no need to forgo this.

Freshly made pappardelle with lamb ragu. Looks & tastes rustic enough to be the handiwork of a Bolognese homemaker. Wet, slippery pasta, casually adorned with succulent meat strewn over a light, veggie-filled gravy.

Cocktails at Garibaldi: Imperial Margarita (tequila, orange curacao, orange juice) & Dirty Martini (vodka, cinzano dry, olive brine).

Red wine & lime margarita at Italian Tomato.

Garibaldi Malaysia @ Bangsar Village.

Italian Tomato @ Jalan Maarof, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.

Taps Beer Bar

2012-01-13T00:02:00.003+08:00

"Join the Craft Beer Revolution," Taps commanded. Meekly, we obeyed.

A "rotating tap" concept supplies fresh varieties of beer for every visit, making this the place to guzzle unusual brews. Nothing we recognized, since we're dummies when it comes to beer.

The basic one-page list of bar snacks here includes thin-crust pizzas, with a choice of toppings such as sambal ikan bilis, rendang, wild mushrooms, or what we had above _ spicy pepperoni. Decent, even though beer is the true center of the universe at Taps.

Tasting "paddles" of beer, spectacular for sampling. Reading from the menu's tasting guide: Chevalier Saison (Bridge Road Brewers _ floral aromas with farmhouse touches of orange peel), Pale Ale (Kooinda Boutique Brewery _ citrusy with a robust caramel & toffee backbone) & Mt Macedon Ale (Holegate Brewhouse _ biscuity malts). All Australian.

Brown Ale (Mornington Peninsula Brewery _ mildly nutty on the nose, with notes of chocolate & raisins on the palate & a bitter finish), Black (3 Ravens _ pronounced flavors of caramel, chocolate & coffee) & Robust Porter (Bridge Road Brewers _ toasted grain & milk chocolate characteristics, with a touch of roasted coffee to round up the aroma).

Live performances feature familiar guitar hits from the'70s through '90s.

Alfresco seating, overlooking the relative calm of the side streets near Changkat Bukit Bintang, is available for escaping the crowds & the music.

TAPS Beer Bar,

One Residency, Jalan Nagasari, Off Jalan Raja Chulan, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2110-1560

Open daily, 5pm till late.

Benares

2012-01-12T00:02:00.001+08:00

Replacing Bossa Nova at Parkroyal Hotel, Benares might be KL's priciest Indian eatery; the food is fine, with several recipes seldom seen elsewhere, but we're not sure it's all worth the cost.

Complimentary amuse bouche. Some sort of cheesy crackers with a minty sauce.

We love this one: Himalayan Phaal Aur Shrikand _ grapes & assorted fruits with yogurt, cardamom, flaked almonds, pomegranate seeds & Shrikand sauce (RM25++). A perky panoply of fresh-tasting ingredients in tangy strained yogurt.

We can't make ourselves love this one: Goan Tuna Macchli _ tuna cooked with coconut & chili & garnished with coriander (RM40++). Essentially chewy slices of dried-out fish.

We're pleasantly surprised by this one: Tabakh Maaz _ lamb chops braised in saffron milk & ground almonds (RM45++). Succulent boneless meat, with nary a hint of gaminess.

We can't muster excitement for this one: yogurt-marinated tandoori chicken (RM38++). Tender & savory, but not extraordinarily better than mamak versions.

We're stunned by the cost of this one: Bundh Gobhi. Mildly spiced chopped cabbage (RM25++).

We're confused by this one: Sukha Palak (RM28++). Kinda like palak paneer but without cheese. But to give credit where it's due, this is impeccably prepared.

We wish this one would live up to its billing: The menu describes it as "eggs whisked with ground spices, green chili, coriander & seasoning, then fried to perfection" (RM20++). But it's basically a well-executed omelet _ nothing more, nothing less.

We should order briyani instead of this one: Nimbu Chawal (RM20++). Lemon rice, fairly fluffy & fragrant, but less flavorful than briyani.

We'll call it a night with this one: Ras Malai _ cheese in sweet, creamy sauce (RM14++).

We'll be drunk on this one (not!): Baron Philippe De Rothschild Mouton Cadet Rose (RM98++).

Benares,

Parkroyal Hotel, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2782-8305

Brunch @ La Vie En Rose

2012-01-11T00:02:00.002+08:00

Wakey wakey! La Vie En Rose opens bright & early, serving lunch Tuesdays through Fridays & brunch on weekends.

Earlier entries on La Vie En Rose: Nov. 14, Nov. 15, Nov. 23 & Dec. 8.

Croque tartiflette _ comfort food in a sandwich, plumped up with potatoes, onions & Reblochon, a cow's milk cheese from the French Alps region of Haute-Savoie. Hot & hearty, this might be the ultimate carb-laden nightmare for an Atkins dieter.

The creamiest, most aromatic scrambled eggs we've had in ages, temptingly laced with truffles. Decadence need not wait till nightfall. Served with La Vie En Rose's own pumpkin jam _ a homemade spread that we initially thought was produced from apricot & persimmon.

Two perfectly poached eggs with Hollandaise sauce in a hollowed-out bread. A Gallic twist to Eggs Benedict, every bit as sinfully brilliant. Note: most of La Vie En Rose's egg dishes are available only on weekends.

La Vie En Rose is run by the same folks who operate Urban Picnic at Menara IMC, where customers can also look for lunch on weekdays. Roasted pumpkin, grana padano cheese, rocket, grilled nuts & balsamic vinegar _ many of our favorite salad ingredients in one bowl.

Connetable sardines in extra virgin olive oil & lemon. These sardines from Brittany are a treat, with flesh that's flakier & less stinky than supermarket varieties.

La Vie En Rose's foie gras terrine, filled with apple compote, is absolutely as good as liver gets. Not on the a la carte menu, but ask if it's available.

This photo-edited-till-golden, grouper-only version of bouillabaisse brims with the rich brininess that only something from the sea can supply. Chickens, cows & pigs need not apply.

Don't move our cheese: La Vie En Rose serves nice ones. For cow's milk cheese, try the silky-soft Saint-Marcellin or the firmer Salers from the volcanic mountains of Auvergne.

Abondance, Ossau Iraty & Blue Stilton. Wish we were more of cheese connoisseurs, so that we could appreciate these better. Still, they tasted terrific to us.

Vanilla ice cream, the purest of pleasures with Lodovico Campari's highly honored, sweetly sourish 15-year-aged balsamic vinegar of Modena.

Time for tarts: lemon tart with strawberry sorbet.

Guanaja chocolate tart, boasting a bittersweet intensity.

Anise-flavored Mauresque (Ricard & Orgeat) & Perroquet (Ricard & mint).

Kir Royale (champagne, creme de cassis).

Red, red wine, stay close to me....

Got vinegar? La Vie En Rose's store sells it! This is simply a sample though.

La Vie En Rose,

39, Jalan Raja Chulan, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2078-3883

Putien

2012-01-10T00:02:00.001+08:00

Returning to Putien for another Chinese feast. Earlier entry on Putien: January 6.

Bitter gourd, sliced super-thin & served on ice with honey dip. Tastes like crunchy slivers of chilled cucumber, with scarcely an iota of bitterness.

Shredded pork with fried buns. A signature dish at Putien, one that children would relish. The sesame buns are fluffy, while the gravy-drenched meat with onions is moist & flavorsome.

Oyster omelet. Not as much of a greasy-guilty pleasure as hawker versions, though some might insist that makes this less thrillingly juicy.

Sweet-&-sour pork with lychees. Capably executed, with the lychee supplying welcome sparks of tropical sweetness to balance out the sauce's sourness.

Lor mee with pork belly, prawn & clams, braised in pork broth. Heavy enough for two to share, though it may seem a bit blander & not as creamy as anticipated.

Salt-&-pepper seven-inch pork trotters (RM7.90 per piece). Sounds better on the menu than it tastes on the plate; the skin could be more crisp, while the flesh within feels overloaded with collagen & fat, making this little more than meatless mush.

Deep-fried duck with yam. We'd order this again if we ever spot it in a dim sum joint; the combination of comfortingly warm, soft yam packaged with succulent meat works very well.

Some sort of Chinese tea with a name we can't recall. Lovely leaves, luscious fragrance.

Putien Malaysia @ 1 Utama.

DiB Coffees of Hawaii

2012-01-09T00:02:00.009+08:00

Malaysia's first gourmet coffee cafe run entirely by hearing-impaired staff members _ except for the chap who answers the phone.

DiB Coffees of Hawaii (DiB stands for "Deaf in Business) is a chilled-out suburban hangout that furnishes pastries, cappuccinos & more. Its display counter is lined with simple sandwiches & sweet treats such as passion fruit cheesecakes (RM6 per slice).

This pineapple-macadamia cake proffers a pleasantly fruity flavor, though its texture leans closer to that of a crumbly, chewy scone, instead of something more predictably moist.

DiB's coffee boasts air-flown Hawaiian beans cultivated in rich volcanic soil. The Ka'u Loa dark concoction delivers a nutty aroma, rounded out with tinges of chocolate, raspberries & cherries.

"Anu" shake ("anu" means cold in Hawaiian), with espresso, caramel & vanilla. Might feel a little too icy for folks who like their milkshakes extra creamy.

Not crazy for coffee? Try the 'tisane' _ herbal tea, made from milling the coffee cherry husks of the Kualapu'u plantation for an antioxidant-loaded brew with less caffeine than decaf. Varieties include mellow-yellow Papaya Leaf Vanilla.

Also refreshing: tropical beverages, such as this bright-hued blend of grenadine, orange & pineapple juice, nicknamed Lani (Heaven) Paradise.

Complimentary bags, currently for customers who spend above RM20.

Trained baristas & baking professionals helm the place, so that standards are assured.

And no worries; communication with the fast-moving, smile-generous service team is a breeze.

Wishing we were here! Hawaii, that is.

DiB Coffees of Hawaii @ Damansara Perdana,

11A, Jalan PJU 8/5A, Damansara Perdana.

Open daily 7:30am-10pm.

Xing Zhu

2012-01-08T00:02:00.003+08:00

It's a long & winding road from KL to this Chinese restaurant, which features a poolside view that might look pretty during the daytime, when most of Cyberjaya isn't draped in darkness.

Amid the absence of any other customers for dinner, we had this pork-free outlet to ourselves from the very first course: double-boiled pumpkin soup _ fragrant & piping-hot, with plenty of tiny pieces of pumpkin, prawns & other seafood.

Boiled amaranth soup with fish paste & flossy egg white. A clear broth that tasted fairly healthy. Prices here are OK; a filling meal for two can be had for under RM100.

Roasted 'pi pa' duck, in what seemed to be some sort of peanut gravy. Bony, though flavorsome enough to get a passing grade.

Oven-roasted duck, 'Hong Kong-style.' The skin was crisp, but parts of the meat were chewy.

Cantonese crispy egg noodles with king prawns. Not as tasty as KL's best sang har meen, though still respectable, thanks to the plump prawns & thick broth.

Como Sur Cabernet Sauvignon (Chile). Wine is available by the glass.

Worth the drive to Cyberjaya? Probably not. But if you're already in the area, then maybe.

Xing Zhu,

Cyberview Lodge Resort & Spa, Cyberjaya.

Akari

2012-01-07T00:02:00.003+08:00

It's astonishing that Akari has survived for longer than three years, considering the place seldom seems to have more than two or three occupied tables.

Nevertheless, the food here is indisputably good. Our favorite starter: the creamy avocado & tobiko salad with wasabi sauce.

More avocado _ this time, a sensational sushi topped lavishly with it.

Scallops with mentaiko & mayonnaise, swimming in savory succulence.

Inventive makis are among Akari's attractions. This Solaris Roll features salmon, asparagus, cucumber & crab sticks, topped with Hokkaido scallops & tobiko.

Cyatapira Roll, with eel, cucumber, avocado, bonito flakes & teriyaki sauce.

The bar stays open till past midnight, so head here if you're seeking serenity in the late hours.

Bohae Bokbunjaoo, a Korean raspberry wine best known for being featured at the 2005 official dinner of the APEC leaders' summit.

Akari Japanese Kitchen Bar,

Jalan Solaris 4, Solaris Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-6203-6885

Putien Malaysia

2012-01-06T00:02:00.006+08:00

Another Singapore-bred enterprise is reborn in Malaysia; after roaring through locations across the Lion City _ including Kitchener Road, Vivo City, Marina Square & Resorts World Sentosa _ Putien has landed in our country, targeting the heart of 1 Utama.

Putien's culinary roots lie in time-honored Heng Hwa cooking from the coastal town of Putian in China's Fujian province. Its voluminous photo album of a menu is replete with rustic recipes, focusing on seafood, pork & noodles.

Wine-marinated drunken cockles (RM9.90+), with resonant notes of garlic & chili singing through the mollusks' saltwater essence.

Pork intestines (RM12.90+) _ cut, folded & braised. These taste like some kind of spongy stuffed sausage, free from the stink that sometimes plagues intestines.

Seaweed with mini shrimp (RM8.90+). Slimy & slightly briny, it makes for a minimalist starter; "cucina povera" _ the cuisine of poverty _ adapted for contemporary consumers.

Century eggs, lightly fried in buttery crumbs (RM8.90+). A warm, creamy preparation that breathes new life into preserved eggs. No wonder Putien was once ranked among Singapore's Top 50 restaurants by the Straits Times.

Iced abalone (RM19.90+ per piece), pleasurably plump. Putien's prices won't break the bank; two can eat & be merry for under RM100.

Bamboo herbal prawns (RM8.90+), sunk in a soup seething with wolfberries & Angelica root, both believed to possess anti-inflammatory properties.

Peanut-topped Heng Hwa Bee Hoon, on the house _ perhaps an opening promo (communication with the Cantonese-speaking staff was problematic, even though they were expertly efficient). Thin & chewy, with a deep savoriness derived from a stock of pork bones & aged hens.

Battered sea bass in rice red wine (RM18.90+). And all this was less than a quarter of the menu; there's no doubt that Putien will pull us back soon.

Putien @ 1 Utama,

G213A, Ground Floor, 1 Utama (Old Wing), Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Tel: 03-7722-1539

Living Food & After Ate

2012-01-05T00:02:00.021+08:00

A study in contrasts: two eateries opened this week on Jalan Tun Razak _ just a 15-minute walk from each other but offering food on opposite ends of the gastronomic spectrum.

First up, Living Food at Menara Tan & Tan. Despite its simple, somewhat sterile look, this cafe feels like one of KL's most innovative purveyors of health food, using intriguing ingredients to construct recipes that placate the palate & boost the body.

Noodles? Nope, it's zucchini, sliced into slivers & slathered with three spectacular sauces _ cashew, sun-dried tomato & tahini. Creamy yet springy, with tasting notes that somersault between pasty-nutty & salty-tangy, this vegetable is very rarely so enjoyable.

Move over, meat burgers; Living Food's signature patties of dehydrated mushrooms & seeds, sandwiched in tomatoes, guacamole & sprouts, are a herbivore's fantasy come true, fertile with feisty, force-of-nature flavors.

The cafe's business hours (8am-6pm weekdays & 10am-3pm Saturdays) make it tough for many to eat here, but takeaways are an option. Sealed in a paper bag, this Japanese-inspired salad of cabbage, cucumber, tomatoes, carrots & seaweed with wasabi tamari dressing no longer looks appetizing after some time, but it still tastes more wholesome than KFC's coleslaw.

Next, After Ate at The Intermark. The status update hit like a sugar rush _ at 5:34pm Tuesday, The BIG Group announced to its 2,000-plus Facebook followers that it had opened a "dessert lounge where sweet dreams come true."

The word spread faster than ants attack a picnic: After Ate _ which replaces T Forty Two at the Intermark stable of Tate & Estate _ is branded as a "playground for the ladies," promising the fairer sex that they can sip bubbly here while savoring saccharine sensations.

The most devilish of desserts: inspired by Snickers, the list of components on this plate speaks sinfully for itself. Gooey caramel mousse. Salted peanuts. Peanut chocolate cracker. And oh yeah, BIG's own milk chocolate ice cream. Heck, it's better than a Snickers bar.

Meringue chunks, fruits, fresh cream & orange jelly, with a quenelle of raspberry sorbet. Would work wonderfully with champagne, but After Ate currently serves bubbly only by the bottle. And since this was lunch, we were forced to resist the promotion of two bottles of Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin for RM380++.

Wrapping up with nutrition-packed smoothies at Living Food _ thicker than anticipated & nowhere as disgusting as they sound. On the left: a blend of dragon fruit, banana, purple cabbage & chia; on the right: leafy greens, orange, pineapple, ginger & lemon.

There's more to come: both Living Food & After Ate will have new neighbors within weeks. At Menara Tan & Tan, Antipodean from Bangsar is launching a branch here soon (coffee!). And at The Intermark, expect The BIG Group to establish EST _ potentially a meat-lovers' paradise _ after the Lunar New Year.

Living Food Bistro Cafe,

Menara Tan & Tan, Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2181-2778

After Ate @ The Intermark,

Jalan Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2161-4160

Bunga Kantan @ Bangsar

2012-01-04T00:02:00.004+08:00

Bunga Kantan has replaced Rice Cafe at Lorong Maarof, but fans of Malaysian fare shouldn't fret; there's no lack of familiar, fulfilling food here.

In honor of Rice Cafe, we only tried the rice platters at Bunga Kantan. Our recommendation: Nasi dagang ikan tongkol, nicely priced at RM4.50. The firm, fragrant rice was flawless, well complemented by creamy fish 'gulai.'

Nasi goreng petai (RM7). Not bad, but not brilliant; petai lovers might be soothed by the hearty heap of stinky beans, though the rice itself tasted run-of-the-mill.

Need more rice? Drive five minutes to Jalan Maarof's Italian Tomato for a rustic risotto (RM25++), flooded with the earthiness of shiitake & button mushrooms.

Need even more rice? Drive another five minutes to Bangsar Village, where Garibaldi whips up perhaps the city's priciest risotto _ a saffron one with braised veal cheek for RM98++.

Garibaldi's risotto with pigeon ragu, walnuts & red wine sauce is as rich as imaginable, though also not cheap at RM83++. But there it is: a tour of the grainy goodness that Bangsar giveth.

'Tis still the season to be jolly! Complimentary panettone from Garibaldi.

Booze isn't available at Bunga Kantan. So drink up at Garibaldi (or Italian Tomato).

Restoran Bunga Kantan (RBK),

98, Lorong Maarof, Bangsar Park, Kuala Lumpur.

Open daily 7:30am-10pm.

Italian Tomato

2012-01-03T00:02:00.006+08:00

Replacing Gaja on Jalan Maarof, Italian Tomato might look like a lackluster eatery _ despite its memorable name _ but the hits outnumber the misses on its wide-ranging menu.

Fonduta (RM24++). The Italian equivalent of Swiss cheese fondue, but made of Fontina cow's milk cheese whipped with egg yolk, milk & butter. Its flavor is mushroomy though muted; the true pleasure of this broth lies in its lascivious texture _ creamy but somehow almost frothy.

Chicken liver pate (RM16++) with a double-whammy of garlic _ raw cloves sticking out of the meat paste & infused into crostini on the side. A thick, rustic-tasting spread, worthy of praise.

Potato gnocchi & prawns sauteed in herb butter (RM22++ for a starter-sized portion). A textbook recipe, simple but satisfyingly done. The dumplings were neither stodgy nor mushy.

Wood-fired roasted beef ribs in red wine reduction (RM40++). Yep, Italian Tomato boasts a wood-fire oven, utilizing it to prepare everything from pizzas to pumpkin soup & lamb shank. This epic slab of meat is meant for priapic appetites _ rip into it, chew loudly & grunt.

Itching for more Italian? Only a 15-minute drive away, there's Verona Trattoria at Section 17.

Earlier entry on Verona Trattoria: December 29, 2011.

Snack attack: Deep-fried mushrooms _ not magic ones but surprisingly plump, especially considering they're of the button variety. Crisp on the outside, oozing with earthy juices within.

Minestrone, bristling with kidney beans, onions, celery, carrots, tomatoes & chopped penne. This soup might come out of the kitchen super-fast, scarcely five minutes after the order is placed. But it'll likely taste reassuringly fresh & homemade.

Deep-fried mozzarella cheese. A safe prediction: customers who start munching on this gooey goodness won't be able to stop till every piece is gobbled up.

Desserts, however, are a disappointment at Verona Trattoria: the zabaione _ a custard made with eggs & marsala wine _ is way too watery here, topped unhelpfully with blueberry gelato. The traditional tiramisu is supposed to contain marsala too, but tastes bereft of booze.

Wine isn't available so far at Verona Trattoria, but since there's no corkage charge for now, customers can buy a few bottles nearby at Cold Storage in Jaya One & bring them over.

There's lots of liquor though at Italian Tomato; the Sangria & Caipirinha are intriguingly executed _ blended & served in wine glasses. Alas, the Sangria is sickly sweet, blighted by a concentrated mango puree that overpowers everything else.

Wine is the less risky option at Italian Tomato. Service is briskly professional but impersonal.

Italian Tomato @ Bangsar,

61, Jalan Maarof, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.

Verona Trattoria @ Section 17 PJ,

Jalan 17/54, Petaling Jaya.

Tel: 03-7960-2890

Peter Hoe Beyond

2012-01-02T00:02:00.001+08:00

A Chinatown shopping hot spot on the Lee Rubber Building's second floor, with a comfy corner where customers can rest their feet & replenish their energy with tasty treats.

Quiches & pies dominate Peter Hoe's display counter, but we insisted on the seafood spaghetti, a special of the day on the cafe's blackboard menu. This simple, WYSIWYG pleasure won't win major awards, but it's hearty & well-prepared.

Cherry cheesecake, topped with the sweetest, juiciest fruit. We like!

Carrot & walnut cake. Its texture was kinda mushy, but the flavor was fine.

Lemon juice. Wine is also available, but only by the bottle.

After eating, check out Peter Hoe's wares, including furniture, linen & jewelry. It's like a fantastic flea market, with everything except fleas.

Break out the piggy bank! 'Tis (still) the season to be shopping.

Peter Hoe Beyond,

Jalan Tun H.S. Lee, Kuala Lumpur.

Open through 7 p.m. daily.

The Mix

2012-01-01T00:02:00.002+08:00

Here at The Mix, the Klang Valley's sexiest lounge singer ever can be spotted belting out everything from The Stylistics' "You Are Everything" to the Plain White T's "Rhythm of Love." Look for the red tie.

The food at this Holiday Inn Glenmarie outlet comprises East-meets-West recipes. Try the light, flavorsome prawn salad, laced with kiwi fruit & coconut for a creative flourish & a strategically positioned bread stick for a phallic finish.

The cocktail selection is also seductive. We liked the Spicy Sangria (brandy, white wine, red chili, sprite) & Purple Cosmopolitan, made with grape juice instead of cranberry,

Not excited by live entertainment? Head to the hotel's Glen Lounge, which overlooks a sprawling golf course (though the view outside the terrace is shrouded in darkness at night).

ABC (amaretto, baileys, cognac) & Peach Margarita.

The Mix & Glen Lounge,

Holiday Inn Glenmarie, Shah Alam.

U Restaurant

2011-12-31T00:02:00.001+08:00

One of the sturdiest survivors on Jalan Bangkung, this beautifully furnished outlet has cemented a reputation for satisfactory Japanese fare & stellar service.

The sushi platter here comprises a reasonable range of imported fish & seafood. But its price tag of RM135++ feels too hefty, with merely nine pieces of nigiri sushi alongside the California maki.

If you like it then you should have put a zing on it: Deep-fried sea bass with ponzu sauce. Fleshy fish in seemingly weightless batter, topped with a refreshing citrus dressing.

Potato Maki, with cucumber, crabstick, tobiko & deep-fried shredded potatoes. Sounds interesting but tastes ordinary, despite the coat of shallot-like potato strips.

Cod fish porridge. Feels home-cooked; served piping-hot, thick with chunks of cod.

Cali Cheese Maki, with crabstick, avocado, unagi, cheese & tobiko. Nice enough, though similar-tasting to any decent roll at other outlets.

Sake...

... or wine? Pick your poison.

Business at U Restaurant is sometimes slow compared to its neighbors (Leonardo's, Cava, Opus Bistro & Four Seas), so this might be the place to escape the crowds.

U Restaurant,

Jalan Bangkung, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.

Muzeum

2011-12-30T00:02:00.116+08:00

A weird watering hole, where replicas of dinosaur bones occupy a place of pride on the wall alongside the Venus de Milo & Michelangelo's David.

The food here boasts inventive monikers: this Picasso Pizza features Purple Moon cheddar, soaked with red wine & tossed with mozzarella, scallions, cream cheese & port reduction. Sadly, it tastes unmemorable, similar to cheesy pizzas elsewhere. Muzeum's other pizzas are named Queen Margarita, Al Capone, Shogun, Viking and so on.

Freddy Fulputter & Suffering Bastard. What's in these cocktails? The menu never explains.

On certain nights, Muzeum's customers might be entertained by a young duo harmoniously belting out Chinese-language ballads.

Muzeum,

Red Carpet Avenue, Encorp Strand,

Jalan PJU5/22, Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya.

Toshokan

2011-12-30T00:01:00.001+08:00

The Library's fourth watering hole, Toshokan, is a Japanese-themed venue at First Subang Mall. To recap: the original Library at e@Curve seems Western-influenced, its Avenue K outpost is French, while the Puchong one is Chinese.

The influence of the Land of the Rising Sun is embedded in the decor, not the drinks. Frangelico Caipirinha (frangelico, lime wedges, sugar, cranberry juice) & Hpnotiq Mojito (sagatiba pura, hpnotiq, mint leaves, lime wedges, soda, sugar).

Archer's Peach Schnapps & Bailey's. The lighting makes it all yellow (cue Coldplay).

Business is booming, like every other Library, Overtime & their fellow bar businesses that have spread throughout the Klang Valley.

P.S. We're still a little let down by First Subang Mall though. Guess we were hoping for something with more original outlets, instead of mainly offshoots from outlets elsewhere (Coffee Chemistry, Wong Kok, Edo Ichi, Chatime, Austin Chase, etc).

Toshokan,

First Subang Mall.

Verona Trattoria

2011-12-29T00:02:00.012+08:00

This street is steaming up; opening next door to Bistro a Table at Section 17, Verona Trattoria is stirring up a taste of Italy to complement its neighbor's French sensibilities.

Expect the basics here _ simple pastas, pizzas & no-frills fare. If some of the food feels familiar, that could be because Chef Enzo Dente of SS2's Buonasera is Verona Trattoria's consultant chef. Prices are democratically affordable; nearly every dish here costs below RM30.

Potato gnocchi with gorgonzola sauce is a surefire stomach-stuffer; it seems slightly too stodgy, but that describes nearly every gnocchi in KL.

Risotto with beef bacon & pecorino cheese (that's what the menu says). Errmm, what cheese? Still, if you must have carbs, this is far more fun & flavorsome than porridge.

Spinach & cheese ravioli. Insidiously rich & creamy, ensuring that we'll never be able to fit into our mothballed, size-28 jeans anytime soon. Or even 30, at this rate.

Speaking of Bistro a Table, head there this month to sample mind-blowing desserts like this mangosteen pavlova. Ripe morsels of our favorite fruit, resting in a child's sweet fantasy of cotton-candy-sticky meringue accented by Chantilly cream & kaffir-infused candied cucumber.

Profiteroles with Gula Melaka, pandan cream & cracked pink peppercorn. If only the French had colonized Malacca _ instead of the Portuguese or the Dutch _ this might have been something we could have savored all our lives, instead of waiting for chef Isadora Chai to create it only now.

Verona Trattoria @ Section 17,

Jalan 17/54, Petaling Jaya.

Closed Tuesdays.

Salon Du Chocolat & Bubbles

2011-12-28T00:02:00.005+08:00

Sugar-seekers, search no further than Telawi, where two outlets _ Salon Du Chocolat & Bubbles _ now supply Middle Eastern confectioneries & Taiwanese bubble tea respectively.

First up, Salon Du Chocolat, a Hong Kong-based enterprise that has made Malaysia its first Southeast Asian beachhead. Besides this Bangsar venue, another branch at Publika Shopping Gallery in Solaris Dutamas should launch soon.

Everything from rose-scented chocolate to Turkish Delights laced with apricots & pistachios is available here. Exquisitely crafted tidbits _ a study in lush, floral fragrances that we might be tempted to wear as cologne.

Dark chocolate stuffed with dried figs are an empyrean treat. Mix & match whatever you want; the selection costs slightly above RM20 per 100 grams, which comes up to roughly five pieces.

A two-minute stroll away, Bubbles at Telawi 2 is a homegrown operation that aims to challenge the likes of Chatime & Gong Cha, using fresh tea from Cameron Highlands.

Malaysian flavors are the highlight _ we tried the Milo Ais bubble tea with chewy black pearls & the Durian milk tea (!!!) with burst-in-the-mouth yogurt-filled pearls. Both are rich & refreshing enough to recommend.

Other flavors include taro, watermelon, kiwi, lychee & teh ais. Small cups start at RM4.90.

Salon Du Chocolat @ Bangsar,

Jalan Telawi 3, Bangsar Baru, Kuala Lumpur.

Bubbles @ Bangsar,

Jalan Telawi 2, Bangsar Baru, Lumpur.

Kaihomaru

2011-12-27T00:02:00.002+08:00

If Kaihomaru's location feels familiar, that might be because it replaced the Federal Hotel's Kapoh Muneharu (which in turn took over from Sushi Dokoro Maeshima). But extensive refurbishment has rendered the outlet unrecognizable.

Kaihomaru's menu sets it apart from other Japanese eateries; the restaurant focuses on seafood, serving nearly no chicken, beef or other meat.

This deluxe 28-piece sushi platter costs slightly north of RM200 _ worth the expense, considering the quantity & quality of ingredients. The selection could include ootoro (the fattiest of tuna belly), sea urchin, amberjack, shrimp & scallops. No run-of-the-mill salmon, for sure.

For a fleshy fish with a mackerel-like flavor, this grilled arabesque greenling should satisfy seekers of succulence.

Yellowtail simmered with soy sauce. Aside from the raw fish, Kaihomaru's offerings are far from pricey; a meal here without sushi & sashimi shouldn't exceed RM60 per person without drinks.

A little sake never hurt anyone, right? A lot, though, would be a different story.

Kaihomaru,

The Federal Hotel, Jalan Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2144-3088

Last orders at 10:30 p.m.

Celadon

2011-12-26T00:02:00.001+08:00

One of the better outlets in the SEA Group family of mall-friendly Thai restaurants, which also includes BSC's Busaba, 1 Utama's Good Evening Bangkok & Mid Valley's Flying Chillies.

Prawns Part I: Tom yam soup _ sourish, spicy & swamped with prawns & mussels.

Prawns Part II: Pomelo salad, with plenty of juicy pulp complemented somewhat unusually by battered prawns, squid, roasted coconut & ground peanuts.

Prawns Part III: Northern Thai prawn curry with pineapples. Delicious, even without the distinctive flavors of the typical Thai green & red curries. Tastes like it could be Malaysian.

Prawn-free interlude: Grilled strip loin on hot plate with northern Thai sauce. Can't complain; the well-marinated beef is the furthest thing from bland & chewy.

Prawns Part IV: Sizzling seafood with Thai herbs. Bonus point: Celadon's food displays few apparent signs of MSG.

Prawns Part V: Pineapple fried rice, intriguingly topped with chicken floss (besides the prawns, naturally) for an enjoyable chewiness.

A fair range of wine is available _ not something to take for granted at a Thai eatery.

Celadon Royal Thai Cuisine,

Pavilion, Kuala Lumpur.

Flavors & Baan 26

2011-12-25T00:02:00.011+08:00

Have yourself a merry little turkey...

The festive buffet at Swiss-Garden's Flavors Restaurant is a fulfilling feast, even though some customers might be driven bonkers because 'Jingle Bells' is played on an endless loop here _ every second, minute & hour.

All the Yuletide essentials are accounted for, from oysters, prawns & mussels on the fresh seafood counter to turkey pot pie, lamb osso bucco, sea bass & scallops in the hot food section.

Roast beef too. A fair spread at RM70++ per adult & half-price for children & senior citizens.

A plateful of turkey (dark meat, please), chestnut stuffing (delicious!), giblets & cranberry sauce to help me meet my turkey requirement for 2011.

Much meat & various veggies build a balanced meal to make the spirits bright. Quality-wise, it's not top-flight though _ the duck confit with orange zest might seem leathery & overcooked.

Log cakes, stollen, puddings, fruit cakes _ enough desserts to make every belly as bounteous as Santa's. Service at Flavors is reasonably attentive & efficient, with used plates regularly cleared & empty glasses of water replenished.

If the evening is young & there's no hurry to head home to make sure the kids are fast asleep, then take a 10-minute drive to Changkat Bukit Bintang for a nightcap.

Many know Changkat's Baan 26 Restaurant for its tasty Thai food, but the Thai-inspired cocktails here are equally enjoyable: Tuk Tuk (pandan vodka, bacardi, lychee juice) & Pandan Fantasy (pandan vodka, malibu, gin, midori, apple juice).

Thai's Land (red wine, vodka, orange juice) & Monsoon Red Alert (tom yam vodka, malibu, watermelon, lychee).

Kiwi Vodka Caipiroska & Golden Triangle (that's what the receipt says it was, but we've forgotten what it contains _ blame that on the booze!).

Flavors Restaurant,

Swiss-Garden Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.

Baan 26,
Changkat Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur.

Maduro & De Solvang

2011-12-24T00:02:00.003+08:00

Drink & be merry! Maduro & De Solvang are two watering holes, one at TTDI & the other at Solaris Mont Kiara _ a 10-minute drive from each other, using the excellent Penchala Link.

First up, Maduro _ a handsome TTDI cigar lounge, free from crowds on weekday evenings.

Food wasn't available on our not-so-recent visit here (months ago, eeeks!), but we were satisfied with red wine at about RM16 a glass.

We're not cigar buffs though, so this selection was wasted on us.

Next up, De Solvang _ not one of Mont Kiara's high-profile watering holes, but still worth a stop.

De Solvang's menu is wide, featuring snacks such as Haitian Chicken Wraps _ tortillas filled with meat marinated in rum & Coke. Sounded unusual, but tasted unmemorable. Or maybe we were too tipsy to remember.

Decent drinks at decent prices: Japanese Slipper (midori, cointreau, lemon juice) & Walking On The Beach (What's in this cocktail? We forget. But we think Sex On The Beach is better).

Ninety-nine bottles of something-something on the wall, ninety-nine bottles...

Bar Maduro,

Lorong Rahim Kajai 13, Taman Tun Dr Ismail.

De Solvang,

Solaris Mont Kiara, Kuala Lumpur.

Charlie Brown Cafe @ KLCC

2011-12-23T00:02:00.013+08:00

Charlie, Snoopy & the rest of the Peanuts gang have found a new home at KLCC, in the nick of time to spread the Yuletide cheer.

This is Malaysia's second Charlie Brown Cafe; the first opened at Penang's Straits Quay several months ago, while another may launch later at Puchong's Setiawalk.

We stuck to sweets for this visit, ordering treats _ like this Lucy-adorned New York Cheesecake _ topped with chocolate miniatures & hand-made artwork of Charles Schulz's characters.

Snoopy mango cheesecake. Notwithstanding their novelty value, the taste & texture of these cakes fall short of expectations. Blame it on a palpably gelatinous artifice.

Woodstock blueberry cheesecake. Each small slice costs RM9.50; Charlie Brown Cafe's prices seem steep, but perhaps justifiable considering KLCC's rental rates.

Charlie Brown tiramisu. My favorite Peanuts character _ though really, nearly everyone in the comic strip is lovable. Even Sally Brown.

Chocolate mousse, with a somewhat off-kilter flavor & strange graininess (though we liked its creamy top). Based on desserts, the cafe needs tons of work in the food department; still, its fun surroundings make it worth a visit.

Hot Chocolate. Our beverage was nice though. Fragrant with cocoa milkiness.

Charlie Brown Cafe Malaysia,

LC-207, 2nd Floor, Suria KLCC, Kuala Lumpur.

SUB 18 @ TTDI

2011-12-22T00:02:00.003+08:00

Hidden at the back of Taman Tun Dr Ismail's's Petronas station, SUB 18 is melting the hearts of this neighborhood's numerous ice cream lovers.

Open through 10 pm daily, the outlet offers no fewer than 18 frosty flavors, including fascinating ones such as cempedak & durian. Both would partner perfectly with the cempedak pandan cake at The Troika's Acme Bar & Coffee.

SUB 18 brands its treats as gelato, but the textures seem to lean closer to regular ice cream instead of the Italian sort. The flavors are nevertheless potent & true-to-life, even though this bubble gum one could have been concocted in a laboratory test tube.

Traditional gelato flavors _ bacio (chocolate hazelnut) & creme caramel _ sandwiched in vanilla oat cookies for a messy, sticky-finger confection that children would likely love.

Need something stronger? Take a five-minute drive to Damansara Perdana's PJ Trade Center, where Gecko Gastrobar serves its own kitchen-made alcoholic ice cream.

We tried three types _ Johnnie Walker Whiskey, kahlua & stout _ each boasting a distinct though not overwhelming boozy undertone.

For RM10 a glass, all are a nicely affordable change from normal desserts.
Earlier entry on Gecko's savory snacks: October 27.

Need something even stronger? Drive another five minutes, this time to 1 Utama's L Table by Lavender, which serves astonishingly powerful cocktails for only about RM20 each.

Lychee martinis. Much better than many RM30 versions elsewhere.

Hendrick's gin & tonic, alongside a Bellini (prosecco, peach puree).
Earlier entry on L Table's food: September 26.

SUB18 @ TTDI.

Gecko @ PJ Trade Center, Damansara Perdana.

L Table @ 1 Utama.

Colors of the Rainbow @ Bistro

2011-12-21T00:02:00.001+08:00

Bistro a Table's December degustation dinner was triumphantly themed Colors of the Rainbow, with courses crafted to reflect every hue between red & violet.

Better red than dead: Master Kobe Marble Score 11+ carpaccio with pomegranate, baby radish & horseradish cream. Extraordinary thought went into the evening's creations, resulting in chef Isadora Chai's most indelibly complex menu yet. Each recipe looked & tasted remarkable.

Vodka with raspberry puree & fennel. Courses were paired with delicious cocktails designed by Lele Pauletto of Changkat Bukit Bintang's Ciccio.

Orange: Lobster bisque ice cream (!) with bone marrow & pumpkin. Awesome.

Cointreau infused with red & yellow capsicum. Must have been tricky to ensure the cocktails complemented not only the color of each course but also the flavor.

Yellow: Self-saucing ravioli with shaved Alba white autumn truffles. For customers who missed this meal, several dishes _ red, yellow, blue & violet, with minor variations in ingredients _ may still be available on Bistro's current a la carte menu.

Galliano & frangelico with lime & truffle oil (!!!).

Gorgeous green: Spinach-wrapped veal sweetbread with asparagus cream & broad beans. Upcoming degustation dinners _ on the first or second Monday of each month _ are expected to center on meat for January, temperatures for February & Alice In Wonderland for March.

Midori with apple & celery juice.

Blue: Baked blue swimmer crab gratin with gorgonzola blue cheese. Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon? Can you sing with all the voices of the mountain; can you cook with all the colors of the rainbow?

Blue 'false' Sangria with blueberry puree.

Indigo: Squid ink pasta with scampi. Executed with elegance & elan.

Tomato consomme with pepper, tabasco sauce & lime.

Violet: Cold casis & thyme souffle with Earl Grey ice cream. A cool coda to a compelling meal.

Sparkling rose wine with Ribena & purple dragon fruit.

Links for Bistro a Table's earlier degustation dinners: August (Everything Weird But Wonderful) & September (Oldie But Goodie).

Bistro a Table,

Section 17, Petaling Jaya.

Ben's, The Bee & The Red Beanbag

2011-12-20T00:02:00.002+08:00

Cafe-hoppers at Publika are spectacularly spoiled for choice these days, thanks to the recent opening of Ben's latest branch ...

... as well as The Bee ...

... & The Red Beanbag, all overlooking the mall's breezy, open-air square.

Earlier entry on The Red Beanbag: December 12.

The Red Beanbag's beef burger is one fine mess. This workman's-sized wonder, spilling over with a kitchen-made patty, egg, beef bacon rashers, tomato relish & cheese, is as all-out juicy as it looks, accompanied by steaming-hot fries to stuff the stomach for about RM22.

Also by the Beanbag: one of the finest French toasts in town _ a fluffy, flavorful confection, buttercup-bright & beautifully browned, fancifully coated with almond flakes for a fun crunch & served with strawberries & maple syrup.

At The Bee, the churros are better than expected, boasting a freshly fried crispness & comforting warmth that make them a pleasure to munch with the caramel-creamy dulce de leche.

Also available at The Bee: The Last Polka's newest ice cream flavors _ Deep Dark Chocolate and Rum & Raisin. We love the latter, bursting defiantly with boozy raisins. It's real rum, all right.

The Last Polka has also introduced ice cream cakes. The "Caramel Horlicks" is a treat that two can share, featuring an Oreo & oat base, layers of Horlicks ice cream & butter caramel, topped with chocolate ganache. Let it thaw a bit before digging in.

Finally, beverages at Ben's: Garden Elixir (gin, cucumber, elderflower syrup, rosemary sprig) & Berry Basil Lemonade (basil, lemon, raspberry puree, soda).

Red wine & lemonade at The Bee, which might unleash its own cocktails soon too.

Fruit mixes by Smooshie Juice at The Red Beanbag: 100 percent natural, bottled fresh daily. Pulpy blends of rambutans, apples, oranges, pineapples, mangoes & much more.

Ben's @ Publika.
Entries on Ben's @ Pavilion: Feb. 25 & March 1.

Ben's @ Publika.
Entries on Ben's @ KLCC: April 19 & May 7.

The Bee @ Publika.
Entry on The Bee @ Jaya One: May 17, 2010.

The Red Beanbag @ Solaris Dutamas,

Kuala Lumpur.

Soup Restaurant

2011-12-19T00:02:00.018+08:00

Evoking a provincial Chinese courtyard from Disney's animated classic 'Mulan,' Soup Restaurant is another Singapore-based enterprise that has finally made a move into Malaysia.

Seated amid this foliage, customers might forget they're in 1 Utama. The food here is as satisfying as the setting; Soup Restaurant is the Oriental equivalent of what Italians call 'cucina del donne' _ a kitchen that cranks out recipes long ago perfected by sisterhoods of cooks.

The star attraction here is the Samsui Ginger Chicken, a dish that echoes back to the 1930s, when thousands of Samsui female immigrants left Guangdong to become construction laborers in Singapore. This fowl delicacy was the close-knit Chinatown community's Lunar New Year treat, something the women could afford only once every 12 months.

Stripped of pesky bones, the satin-sheened meat is meant to be dipped in ginger sauce & wrapped with lettuce. It's fuss-free & fantastic _ slick, succulent flesh enlivened by the ginger's gentle astringence & lettuce's yielding crunch.

Soup Restaurant supposedly prepares only 30 servings of this one everyday: painstakingly hand-chopped minced pork, lean but tender, topped with salted fish for a savory aftershock that could awaken the taste buds of the dead.

Double-boiled chicken soup with 'wai san' herbs & ginseng roots, believed to help relieve stress. Delivered nuclear-hot to the table, it's the kind of restorative appetite sharpener that taps into the soul of Chinese cuisine.

Steamed 'san yu' fish. Bite-sized slices of fresh, flaky fish, featuring a fine purity of flavor. Mercifully, MSG is verboten at Soup Restaurant.

Even the humble sweet potato leaves are worth having here. Labeled "Ah Por Fan Shu Leaves" on the menu, these are fibrous but not chewy, teamed with nothing more than soy sauce.

Ah Kong's Ginger Fried Rice. Another simple pleasure, with the stealthy infusion of ginger proffering an understated twist to what might otherwise seem like formulaic fried rice.

Prices are fairly wallet-friendly; a hearty meal shouldn't hit RM50 per person.

So we like this place as much as _ maybe even more than _ Sunway Pyramid's Paradise Inn, the other recently opened Singaporean restaurant import. Entry on Paradise Inn: December 14.

Soup Restaurant @ 1 Utama,

G210A, Ground Floor,

One Utama (old wing), Bandar Utama, Petaling Jaya.

Tel: 03-7727-2788

ABC @ The Troika

2011-12-18T00:02:00.011+08:00

Acme Bar & Coffee: Chapter Five. You & me could write a bad gastromance.

Earlier entries on Acme: December 2, December 5, December 7 & December 15.

Focusing on Acme's Asian creations this time _ recipes familiar to Malaysians, but spruced up with special flourishes. For something that no street stall sells, get your gustatory juices going with gluey-sweet beef "hitam manis," bracketed with quinoa, green sambal & rice.

Wantonly wanting wontons: crisp golden triangles of dumplings _ swollen with shrimp paste, laced with lemongrass & lolling in coriander-&-chili sauce.

White laksa. Feels like a Kelantan-inspired version, flooded with mild-flavored shredded fish in the thickest, freshest gravy conceivable.

Creamy Nyonya-style soul food, of which Aunty Mel of Simply Mel's might approve: a hillock of deep-fried garoupa, tender & boneless, canopied with comfortingly warm curry & vegetating amid a bumper crop of softly ripe tomatoes, chilies & eggplant.

Tom yam soup with shitake mushrooms, glass noodles & tempura prawns. Not as fiercely fiery or tortuously tart as most Thai broths. Personally, we prefer it this way.

Sambal hebi aglio olio spaghetti, with prawn sambal & olive oil. An anarchic mix of Malaysian & Italian sensibilities that gels more harmoniously than expected. Other similarly-themed pastas here include Seafood Rendang Fettuccine & Green Chili Pesto Fettuccine.

Grilled lamb shoulder with ABC's kitchen-made "kicap manis" marinade, peas & hand-cut fries. Sacrificial-sized slabs of savory-sugary meat, perfect for priapic appetites.

Roederer & Mozaik Rouge. Bubbly makes us turn red. OK, no, not really.

And with this, we wrap up our Acme 2011 Pentalogy. But we're really looking forward to returning next year, once the menu evolves further. Acme is here to stay, no doubt about it.

Acme @ The Troika,

Persiaran KLCC, Jalan Binjai, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2162-2288

Furin

2011-12-17T00:02:00.002+08:00

Making a spur-of-the-moment weekend visit to Furin, we learned too late that this restaurant only serves buffet dinners on Saturdays, foiling us from sampling the a la carte menu.

We deliberated whether to stay or go, but since the all-you-can-eat spread cost a seemingly reasonable RM85++ per person, it felt like a worthwhile risk.

Only the three most basic types of sashimi were available, alongside a relatively wider range of sushi. Nothing remarkable; many non-Japanese hotel buffets offer a similar selection.

We barely took a couple of oysters, which meant they were pretty pathetic, since we're true-blue fans of mollusks.

A heap of teriyaki eel, probably our favorite for the evening. Not top-notch but OK.

Battered shishamo, chicken & tempura veggies, all acceptably warm & fresh. There's more, including seafood teppanyaki cooked on order (which we skipped, since the queue was rather long), but nothing that will haunt our dreams.

Hakutsuru Yamada Nishiki, a Kobe-produced sake. Not included in the buffet.

Furin Japanese Restaurant,

Holiday Inn Glenmarie.

Ala Thai

2011-12-16T00:02:00.001+08:00

This comfortable Thai restaurant looks pretty promising, but its food needs work.

We tried a trilogy of curries here, blasting off with chicken panang curry. The best praise we could offer this: it wasn't loaded with MSG. But it was otherwise bland & banal.

Seeing red (redux): Massaman beef curry with potatoes & peanuts. Disposable; the peanuts tasted second-rate, while the beef was distressingly gamy.

Curry fatigue sets in: roasted duck red curry with kaffir lime leaves, cherry tomatoes & diced pineapples. The worst of the bunch _ only the most skeletal cuts of a pitiably emaciated duck could be found, featuring scarce meat.

Claypot prawns with glass noodles. The saving grace, satisfyingly hearty & flavorsome.

Thai omelet with herbs & crab meat. Kinda like nasi pattaya, but without rice. Frankly, even the herbs & crab promised on the menu seemed missing.

Thai beer is available, but not wine of any kind, for now.

Teething troubles? Maybe; let's hope things take a turn for the better soon.

Ala Thai,

Solaris Dutamas, Kuala Lumpur.

Acme Bar & Coffee

2011-12-15T00:02:00.143+08:00

Acme @ The Troika: Round Four. Earlier entries: December 2, December 5 & December 7.

Lifting off with leafy loveliness: Acme's "Dunkin' Salad" is a simple low-carb substitute for bread with olive oil. This dynamic duo of honey romaine with a lemony dressing whets the appetite without stuffing the stomach. But no double-dipping, please!

Our favorite recipe at Acme so far is the grilled watermelon salad, thanks to titanic chunks of tender poached crab flesh, the sweet umami kick of mirin soy mayo sauce & the nutty crunch of toasted almonds. If we could order only one thing here, this is it.

Deep-fried cheese raclette, wine-poached pears & green apples. Another fun creation, with the juicy crispness of the fruits mingling well with the creaminess of the salty cheese.

A tale of two soups: black & white onion ones, bridged with a cheese stick. Visually intriguing; both onion-based, but they taste worlds apart _ the beefy black is the robust French version with caramelized onions, while the white evokes a milky Irish recipe.

Mushroom soup of morels, rice wine, ginger & man tao pua croutons. Could mushroom soup be richer or more luscious? One of the most satisfying ones we've had this year.

Spaghetti al caccio e pepe, the classic Roman concoction with parmesan & cracked black pepper. Ideal if you're seeking pasta stripped down to the basics, but it might lack the wow factor for customers desiring something more complex.

For an East-meets-West change from sea bass & cod fish, order the conveniently bone-free, massively meaty roasted stingray _ "ikan pari" given the Italian treatment with artichokes, capers, confit lemons & butter.

Succulent, slow-cooked smoked duck rendang, partnered with fragrant barley-laced nasi lemak & string beans. Near-perfect: we'd love a fully loaded plate of this with egg & anchovies.

Tangled up in tangy tropical notes: pineapple & coconut share the spotlight in a Pina Colada cake. Yes, we like Pina Coladas & getting caught in the rain (unless it causes traffic crawls).

Crunch time: Acme could have made this meringue plain & boring, but lacing it with raspberries proves that nothing half-baked ever comes out of the kitchen.

Belvedere vodka with Fever Tree mixer, alongside an Aperol-sparkling wine cocktail.

Dom Clos du Caillou Bouquet de Garriques, Cotes du Rhone.

Acme's upper-level loft is perfect for private functions, less boisterous than the outlet's main hall.

Acme Bar & Coffee,

ABC @ The Troika, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2162-2288

Paradise Inn

2011-12-14T00:02:00.012+08:00

The Singaporean invasion intensifies; our neighboring city-state has strengthened its foothold in the Klang Valley, launching Paradise Inn this month at Sunway Pyramid.

Befitting of Singapore's Paradise Group of restaurants, Chinese comfort food is this Inn's culinary cornerstone. Build the foundation of a fine meal here with some steamed minced pork (RM18+), laced with water chestnuts for extra texture & salted egg yolk for enhanced flavor.

Doubled-boiled sea whelk soup with spare ribs & yam (RM39.90+ per pot). The menu lists a host of health benefits for this broth: it improves the eyesight, maintains youthfulness & nourishes the lungs & kidneys. Taste-wise though, it's slightly too gamy for our liking.

Steamed "song" fish head with spicy bean sauce & crispy pork lard (RM29.90+). Expect to pay Malaysian prices here, not Singaporean (phew!). A meal for four could easily cost less than RM150 _ reasonable, considering the satisfactory quality of ingredients.

Poached Chinese spinach with a trio of eggs & minced pork in superior soup (RM16+). Quintessentially Oriental; Paradise Inn's forte consists of familiar favorites that feel like they could be cooked at home or served at a friendly neighborhood restaurant.

Braised vermicelli with pork trotters (RM19.90+). Carbs, protein & so much fat _ an axis of evil, tempting our taste buds while making our waistlines ever wider. Resistance is futile indeed.

Fried rice with Chinese sausages (RM16+). While we await Chinese New Year's 'lap mei fan,' this will do very nicely. The most well-executed fried rice recipe we've had in months.

Wine is unavailable at Paradise Inn, but that's OK. Just hop over to Jusco's supermarket & buy a bottle (or two! or gasp _ even three!).

No wine glasses are supplied, but on the very bright side, there's no corkage charge either.

Paradise Inn @ Sunway Pyramid,

OB3, LG1.7 & LG1.8 (near Jusco & Starbucks),

Oasis Boulevard, West Wing, Sunway Pyramid.

Tel: 03-5637-8822