Eat Drink KL

Sunday, February 23, 2014

The Soda Factory & Encore Patisserie @ Taman Bukit Desa

In 2014's most miraculous F&B coincidence so far, two invitingly distinctive cafes opened this week on the same street of Taman Bukit Desa: The Soda Factory, launched by the folks behind The Tapping Tapir sodas & The Potong artisan popsicles ...

... & Encore, the inceptive overseas spin-off from a Sydney-based patisserie of the same name.

First up, The Soda Factory, where the offerings seem both thoughtfully & playfully conceptualised. Nice work, folks.

Check out the delicious sourdough pizzas; the best bet is copiously crowned with spinach, an egg, olives, garlic, tomato sauce & parmesan cheese for only RM15. It's a terrific representation of how a pizza should taste, with toppings that complement each other beautifully & a crisply smoky, fresh-tasting base that strikes that not-too-thick, not-too-thin balance.

The Soda Factory's sourdough waffles might prove polarising though; we like how they're discernibly dense in the vein of the Liege variation, but some patrons might prefer fluffier waffles. Enjoy with Nutella sauce, strawberries & vanilla ice cream (RM15); even though both the pizzas & waffles could be calorie bombs, they somehow feel light enough to be low-guilt pleasures.

Floats are fun here; customers can mix & match sparkling soda flavours with a variety of ice cream. Our combo: Lemonade & lengkuas with a scoop of pistachio ice cream (RM9). No worries, not too sugary in the least.

(Former) President Bartlet's beloved beverage _ egg cream (RM9) _ is also available here: Freshly mixed milk, soda water & maple syrup work together to form the ideal beat-the-heat refreshment.

And with that, we segue into Encore, only a thirty-second stroll away.

Encore taps the skills of Australian-based pastry chef Barry Symington to blast out sweet treats like the St Honore dessert of puff pastry with chiboust cream, as well as slices of luscious-looking mille-feuille ...

... plus almond meringue tortes loaded with hazelnut chocolate whipped cream, vanilla eclairs & rum-tinged mud cakes. The preparation & storage of these could be fine-tuned for better taste & texture; there's strong potential here, certainly.

Many of the pastries cost RM14 each, on the higher end of expectations, though it's probable that pricey ingredients went into producing them. Savoury specialities like beef pies & mushroom quiches are also available.

And yep, Encore serves coffee (it comes from a land Down Under). Expect to hear a happy amount about The Soda Factory & Encore in the weeks to come; both will inexorably attract curious cats & eager beavers throughout this inaugural quarter of 2014.

The Soda Factory

15, Jalan Bukit Desa 5, Taman Desa, Kuala Lumpur.

Same row as Sanuki Udon. Seems to currently open only on weekends, 11am-10pm, but will surely change that later. Call 016-682-2221 to confirm.

Encore Patisserie Cafe

1, Jalan Bukit Desa 5, Taman Desa, Kuala Lumpur

Open 10am-10pm daily

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As a separate initiative, the latest edition of Eat Drink KL: 100 Favorites for January-March 2014 is now online, featuring 100 pretty nice eateries, including more than 20 new entries for this quarter. This eBook of restaurant recommendations is available for free, convenient reading on computers, tablets & smartphones at this link: http://eatdrinkkl.publ.com/Eat-Drink-KL-100-Favorites-Jan-March-2014 (This link expires March 31, 2014; see blog entries after that date for new link).

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Golden Fields @ Melbourne

Tastefully elegant in its simplicity, comfortably welcoming in this sun-kissed setting, Golden Fields, run by the team behind Melbourne hotspot Cumulus Inc, feels like an ideal venue for an enjoyably leisurely lunch, a short tram ride from the city centre.

As Golden Fields describes it, the menu provides "a personal interpretation of chef Andrew McConnell's favourite Asian eating experiences," gleaned from his years working in Shanghai & Hong Kong. Here's a modern menu that's no stranger to the allure of kimchi, wasabi, chrysanthemum leaves, Sichuan pepper & sesame paste.

Duckfish sashimi with salmon roe, scud chili, ginger & lime ($15), a delicate dish whose purity is punctuated more harmoniously than expected by resonant notes of tangy savouriness & gentle spiciness.

New England Lobster roll with hot buttered bun, cold poached crayfish, watercress & kewpie ($15). Light but lovably luscious.

Golden Fields' drinks draw deeply from a Japanese well, with relative rarities like Kyoto red rice sake ($22 for 90 millilitres).

Aged sake: 1978 Omiji Kijoshu From Shiga ($29 for 60 millilitres).

Golden Fields
2/157 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda, Melbourne
Noon through midnight, except Mondays

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Friday, February 21, 2014

Calabrese @ Kepong

A bit off the beaten track, but Calabrese might be worth a visit for fans of European fare who live or work in Kepong.

The selection is both extensive & capably executed; can't complain about the seafood risotto (RM26.90), packed with perhaps more mussels, clams & squid than rice. There's plenty of pasta too on Calabrese's menu, from chorizo farfalle to pork bolognese rigatoni (both RM18.90).

The pizza tastes rather mass-market, with a crust that could be crispier, but Calabrese can be commended for not skimping on ingredients; this one blanketed with wild mushrooms & truffle oil is fragrantly earthy (RM18.90).

We like how the kitchen here is more ambitious than anticipated; mains include salmon wrapped in a thin slice of ham, served with Sicilian-inspired aubergine caponata (RM26.90).

Fair prices, fairly friendly service; what more could we want?

Did someone say wine? Calabrese offers that too, by both the glass & the bottle. This is a simple suburban restaurant, one of those places that won't exactly take its neighbourhood by storm. But for a casual lunch or dinner, customers could do far worse.

Calabrese Cafe & Bistro
1A, Jalan Desa 2/7, Desa Aman Puri, Kepong
Daily, 10am-10pm

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Thursday, February 20, 2014

The Rabbit Hole @ Changkat Bukit Bintang

The Rabbit Hole recently hopped into the site that formerly housed two excellent restaurants, Le Bouchon & El Rincon. It's off to a promising start so far, aiming to bring back the thrill to Changkat Bukit Bintang.

We really like The Rabbit Hole's leafy, alfresco "Bamboo Forest" dining section; it's distinctive & adds an air of seclusion that's not always attainable on this bustling street. Potentially pretty romantic too, on the right kind of night.

The Rabbit Hole's street level also holds a distinguished-looking gentleman's club, as well as a graffiti bar & "Green Room" club. Plans are afoot for a rooftop pool bar to be launched eventually too.

The menu here is extensive, with plenty of fun choices. The salted egg yolk buffalo wings (RM23 before taxes) could turn into a deep-fried addiction, genuinely flavoursome & well-prepared, served with a spicy chilli aioli. Very respectable East-West recipe.

We also enjoyed the Iberico Spanish black pig 'presa' shoulder steak (RM58), medium done with a hint of truffle oil, partnered with mashed potatoes, veggies, bacon & wild mushrooms. A wonderfully succulent, wholly satisfying alternative to beef steaks.

An interesting bet for dessert: the playfully concocted Faberge Egg plate, basically grapes coated in cheese & toasted almonds, paired with minted fruit tartlets (RM31). It's inventive, spinning its own take on a fruit-&-cheese platter.

Have wine will dine; customers can also enjoy respectable renditions of Tommy's Margarita (tequila, agave nectar, lime juice) & The Last Word (gin, green chartreuse, maraschino liquor, fresh lime juice).

The Rabbit Hole

Changkat Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur

Daily, 4pm-3am

Click here for online reservations.

This restaurant is available for bookings under TABLEAPP, which enables customers to make instant reservations at Malaysia's top restaurants, while saving time and money in the process. Reserve your table at this restaurant by clicking here.

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Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Bankers Room @ Kia Peng

Bankers Room, a restaurant & lounge, takes over the space that once was il Primo on Jalan Kia Peng; it has ambition, so it could become a force to be reckoned with if its performance ever matches its potential.

We like how the kitchen dares to be different; based on this (punctuation-challenged) outlet's name, it might be hoping to lure deep-pocketed patrons who won't mind paying RM50 before taxes for this pizza topped with foie gras, peaches, lemon dressing & creamy capsicum puree.

Another pizza, blanketed with unagi, egg, bonito flakes, nori, green pepper, spicy cod roe mayo, lime zest & shallot rings (RM30). It's a fun experiment, certainly & enjoyably tasty, but there's a nagging feeling that with so much going on here, all the nuances of flavour are overwhelmed.

Can't go wrong though with spaghetti with sauteed bacon (pork, another commendably bold choice), tempura soft shell crab, seaweed strips, soft-boiled egg, broccoli, zucchini, cherry tomatoes, shimeji mushrooms & togarashi spices in butter sauce (RM26). Another Japanese-influenced recipe, this is one case where the complexity fares better.

Duck confit, fairly well-executed, paired with more duck (smoked), a rather dry polenta cake & cabbage in orange sauce (RM36). Not bad; the combo sounds perfect on paper, so that needs to be translated better on the plate. But easier said than done, sure.

Spring chicken with sweet potato 'risotto,' veggies & mushroom sauce (RM32). Elegant comfort food, a little simpler than everything else here. Won't go down as one of 2014's most memorable dishes, but it'll still go down well.

Rib-eye served with bone marrow, roasted potatoes, veggies & Merlot butter sauce (RM48). The service team here works hard & is attentive, but many of them seem to lack the confidence & experience to shine. Meanwhile, the kitchen could be understaffed, as our orders often took a long time to emerge, sometimes with missing ingredients.

This tiramisu has an unbeatable alcoholic kick, served with a shot of port wine on the side. For only RM14, well worth the price.

The essential cocktails & wines are available (there's a cool walk-in cellar), plus all the other liquor that we could want. All in all, with some fine-tuning, this could someday turn into a place to recommend. We're not sure it'll happen, but we sure hope it does.