Mandarin Oriental 2012 Mooncakes & Pastry Culture

Having your cakes and eating 'em isn't too tough: head to Mandarin Oriental for this year's batch of mooncakes and Tropicana City Mall's Pastry Culture for liquor-laced cakes.

Mandarin Oriental might be the earliest of KL's hotels to be selling mooncakes for 2012, with a special counter set up for these tiny treats at its lobby through Sept. 30.

MO's signature selection comprises chocolate and snowskin varieties, exquisitely executed.

2012's newbies include an ultra-creamy dark chocolate concoction filled with star anise and red bean ganache, tasting like the most luxurious candy bar ever.

Also introduced this year: white chocolate with orange ganache and jam. But mooncakes aren't immune to inflation: MO's chocolate ones cost RM20+, a RM2 hike from 2011's set.

Fresh, natural-tasting flavors form the foundation for 2012's snowskin selection: choose either pandan or blueberry with grated coconut, both evoking a Malay kuih feel (perfect for Ramadan!). RM14+ each (also up by RM2), small enough to finish within four mouthfuls.

Mooncakes can be eaten at MO's lobby lounge with unique cocktails like the Malay Mojito (tinged with gula melaka palm sugar) and the Guava Cosmopolitan. 

Early birds enjoy a 10 percent discount off the regular mooncake price.

Also worth visiting to satisfy the sweet tooth: Tropicana City Mall's Pastry Culture.

Our fave: dark choc cake with raisins dipped in Bacardi rum for super sumptuousness.

Pastry Culture's other varieties, including the Scotch whiskey dark chocolate and Irish cream mint choc, seem to have a lower liquor content.

Still, creamy and tasty enough to recommend for a post-dinner pick-me-up.

Mooncakes @ Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.
Pastry Culture @ Tropicana City Mall, Petaling Jaya.

Like Mom @ Plaza Damas & Namoo @ Publika

Determinedly seeking Korean desserts, let's head to Like Mom at Plaza Damas and return to Namoo On The Park in Publika, both cheerfully Korean-run cafes with fun names.
Earlier entry on Namoo: July 19, 2012.

Like Mom's sweet potato and green tea muffins, dense in texture and delicate in taste.

A multitude of house-made cookies is sold here, with flavors like cinnamon and poppy seed.

Patbingsu, a summer snack of shaved ice topped with plenty of sweetened azuki beans, evocative of Malaysian ais kacang (though patriotism compels us to say we prefer the latter).

Like Mom's proprietors are proud of their coffee; one sip makes it clear why.

Only caveat: Like Mom is closed during dinnertime ...

... so that's the time to hop over to Solaris Dutamas, where Namoo opens for a few hours longer.

Namoo's sweeping selection includes a mousse-like sweet pumpkin and tofu cake that might be the least sinful, most natural-tasting cake we've tasted this year.

Carb attack! Yaksik, steamed glutinous rice, seasoned with brown sugar and mixed with chestnuts and pine nuts. Traditionally eaten at Korean weddings and festivals, but available all year round at Namoo.

Yang Geng, jelly-like tidbits with flavors reminiscent of beans. Or of nature or something.

Yakgwa, sweet, crunchy biscuits made of honey, sesame and wheat flour.

Getting hot and heavy: Mat-tang, an addictive ensemble of honey-glazed sweet potato, pumpkin and nuts. Steaming, starchy and sugary; we can't stop snacking!

Beverages, an acquired taste: sweet potato latte and rice wine yogurt cocktail.

Cutesy touches for a cute cafe.

Like Mom,

E-0-5, Plaza Damas, Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur.

Namoo On The Park,
4A, Level G3, Publika, Solaris Dutamas, Kuala Lumpur.

Grill 582 @ Best Western Premier

It's time to welcome another hotel to KL: Best Western Premier recently launched its flagship Malaysian outpost, helping to expand our fair city's onslaught of dining options.

Grill 582 is one of Best Western's four main F and B venues, specializing in meat and seafood.

This darkly lit outlet's repertoire isn't as impressive as, say, Prime's or Mandarin Grill's, but since Best Western is a four-star establishment instead of five, our wallet is relieved that prices here aren't as punishing as Prime's.

Comparisons continue: the watermelon-balsamic-feta amuse bouche is similar to something Dish offers, but the combo here is serviceable instead of spectacular.

Beetroot and goat cheese salad with toasted walnuts and honey vinaigrette (RM30++). Competently executed, featuring fresh flavors; it's always pleasant to see beetroot on the menu.

Grilled Aussie rib-eye, RM79++ for 200 grams, with mushroom focaccia. Not a bad slab of meat, though it came out medium instead of our requested medium-rare.

Roasted spring chicken with Koffman's cabbage and potato fondant (RM50++). Forgettable fowl.

Oven-baked cod with spinach, mushroom veloute and leek ash (RM60++). Fine fish.

Side dishes cost RM12++; choices include broccoli with almond butter and bubble and squeak.

All in all, Grill 582 is an OK option for folks who want to try someplace new or are in this area.

Other outlets here include buffet coffee house Kembali Kitchen and tapas hangout Hugo's on 6.

Note: driving to Best Western might be tricky. Best route: come from Pudu, pass Central Market on your right and then keep a lookout for the building's entrance on your left.

Folks seeking a nightcap can head to the hotel's Punch Bar and Lounge.

Gin and tonic, alongside rum on the rocks.

Comfortable, but be warned: some members of the service team here are less than warm.

Grill 582 and Punch Bar Lounge,

Best Western Premier Dua Sentral, Jalan Tun Sambanthan, 

Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2272-8888

Tedboy Bakery @ Bangsar

When parental pride and a passion for pastries collide, the offspring is Tedboy Bakery, reputedly owned by a bread-loving couple who named this Telawi cafe after their son. 

Tedboy is a welcome, wholesome entry to Bangsar, loaded with loaves and cakes that customers can take back or nibble here while sipping on coffee and health juices.

Sandwiches made to order are a highlight: for a light lunch, there's no challenging the convenience _ or the crave-worthiness _ of a croissant brimming with succulent Norwegian salmon, sweet slices of mango and cream.

Time for tuna, slathered thickly and warmly on sourdough and topped with chopped celery, tomatoes, peppers and cheddar. Tedboy's owners supposedly operate by the motto that whatever they offer here is what they'd feed their child; we think Ted could someday be the envy of his classmates for the food he'll bring from home for his school lunches.

Cranberry-apricot bread, fluffy and fruity, alongside a baked-fresh-daily baguette, full of grainy goodness, nicely chewy and nearly nutty. Sure, these might not be stunningly spectacular, but would we consider them sufficiently satisfactory? Sure. 

Tiny treats: mini croissant and custard-filled bun. Tedboy is starting out small with this simple Telawi set-up; it's tough to predict whether it'll mature into a major player, but for now, Bangsar's littlest baby is showing minimal teething problems.

Tedboy sits beside 7-11, less than a 10-second stroll from Bangsar Village II's entrance near Delicious. Prices are OK for this neighborhood; the stash above cost around RM50. 

Tedboy Bakery,

10, Jalan Telawi 4, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2202-1312

Open 8am through at least 9pm daily.