Shook! @ Starhill Feast Gallery, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur

Still the most bustling spot at Starhill, even on a weekday night after 11 pm.

The menu is so extensive, we'd have to eat here everyday for a month to try everything. On our most recent visit, we ordered at least one item from all four of the Japanese, Italian, Chinese and grilled food sections.

Gnocchi verdi with pecorino cheese and sauteed spinach. Very mild-tasting, but we liked the fluffy texture of the gnocchi. The spinach added an unusual touch to one of the healthiest gnocchi dishes we've ever had.

Truffle-scented risotto with forest mushrooms. Am not a big fan of mushrooms, but this was worthwhile. The scent of truffles permeated every grain.

Goose noodles in superior broth. We enjoyed this more than we thought we would, thanks to the tender, flavourful goose meat. Fortunately, the soup didn't make the meat soggy.

Grilled black Canadian cod with sweet soy-seasoned teriyaki sauce. Can't go wrong with cod, though it can be a bit boring. Chalk it up to a jaded palate.

Classic American-style Wagyu beef burger with melted cheddar cheese, fries and Caesar salad. A staggering portion that nearly killed off the two of us.

Shook Pizza, with roasted bell peppers, salami, anchovies, onions and smoked salmon. Failed to impress. Nothing wrong with it, but you'll find more satisfying pizzas elsewhere.

Angove's Shiraz Cabernet 2007. Went well with nearly everything.

Shook!

Starhill.

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Noble House @ Imbi

Noble House and several other Oriental outlets are now offering a "Culinary Journey to the Far East" promotion, with new recipes concocted by their chefs who went on an exploratory trip to China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.

Abalone on Snow Mountain. A refreshing starter. The Australian abalone went surprisingly well with the sourish dressing in a shooter glass, which contained diced celery, cucumber and tomatoes in rice wine, lemon juice and olive oil.

Baked foie gras with stuffed sea clams. Looked appealing, but the foie gras was chopped into such tiny cubes that it could scarcely be tasted. Still, this was ideal comfort food: lotsa clams, crab meat, chicken and mushrooms in a cheesy, buttery sauce.

Stir-fried sea urchin with squid. A truly inspired creation that almost tasted like squid in salted egg, but with an even richer, fuller flavour. Our clear favourite for the evening.

Crispy Kurobuta pork rolled in bread. This could nearly have been called Peking Pork, since it reminded us of Peking Duck. Absolutely addictive. Luckily they only served us one piece each; otherwise, we'd have eaten this all night long.

Steamed village chicken in Chinese wine. Tasted a bit too ordinary. We were scratching our heads over whether it was really kampung chicken, since the meat wasn't very flavourful.

Steamed crab in Heineken beer. We were a tad too stuffed by now to appreciate this (there were only two of us, and we over-ordered despite ominous warnings by the restaurant staff), but it tasted reasonably fresh. Thankfully, the beer flavour was subtle enough to let the crab's natural flavour shine through.

Braised yam balls with salted egg yolk and century egg. More comfort food. Remind me to look for something like this the next time I have my heart broken.

Steamed freshwater prawns with radish cake. How good was this? We managed to gobble it all up despite being barely able to breathe at this point.

Steamed egg with bird's nest. Fortunately, dessert was incredibly light stuff that could be swallowed in a couple of gulps. The menu recommends this "for youthful beauty," which heaven knows we could use.

We opted for white wine since there was so much seafood. The German Guntrum Riesling was a much cheaper choice than champagne and went better than expected with the food.

Noble House,

Jalan Delima, Off Jalan Imbi.

Tel: 2145-8822

Avanti @ Sunway Resort Hotel

A longtime crowd-pleaser that fares well with families. The food here seems consistently good, offering both familiar favourites and adventurous options.

A wide open space with unique touches, including a nightly pianist as well as crayons for kids to doodle on the paper table sheets.

Lots of complimentary bread with a side of tuna and olive oil.

Lime-marinated swordfish carpaccio with fennel salad, pink peppercorn & extra virgin olive oil. Highly recommended; the fatty fish went well with the crunchy salad.

Maltagliati in lobster ragout with fresh tomato and pesto sauce. There's a reason why this is Avanti's signature dish. It's comfort food to warm the stomach and the soul.

Brown rye flour stracci with seared sea scallop, garlic, chilli & cherry tomatoes. We lapped this up. A hearty, unpretentious dish that tastes pretty healthy.

Avanti,

Sunway Resort Hotel.

Vintage Bank @ Kuala Lumpur Hilton

A pleasant place to hang out if you're looking for light bites with some booze.

The complimentary bar snacks might actually have been enough to fill us up, but there were other items on their menu that tempted us better.

Rocinante goat's cheese (semi-soft cheese soaked in red wine for 3 days, with a mild flavour tinged with floral undertones of the wine) and Valdeon Blue Cheese (traditionally covered in maple leaves, this is creamy, crumbly cheese, intense on the palate).

Oysters with different dressings: tobbiko roe & spring onion; lemongrass, chilli & coriander tabasco sauce; apple cider & black pepper vinegar.

Brandy Alexander (brandy, creme de cacao, cream) & Brandy Ice (cognac, kahlua, bailey's, fresh cream).

Caipiroska (citron vodka, fresh lime, sugar) & Silk Stocking (tequila, creme de cassis, creme de cacao white, fresh cream).

Vintage Bank,

Hilton KL.

Vetro @ 3 Two Square

Vetro has a comfortable setting, friendly service and convenient location, but sadly, the food and drinks aren't enticing enough to make it a must-visit.

Settled for the beef pepperoni thin-crust pizza, which proved to be tasty enough. Well-prepared and laden with fresh toppings.

Bailey's, Solari White Rum and Platinum Napoleon Brandy.

Vetro Cafe & Bar,

3 Two Square, Petaling Jaya.

Aunties Ssam @ Imbi

Slightly off the beaten track, but Aunties Ssam is worth seeking out for well-prepared Chinese fare with a few tantalizing twists here and there.

Their signature durian pork ribs are a treat. The thick durian coating adds a creamy dimension to the ribs, which would already taste decadent on their own.

Fish head curry. Packed with meaty chunks of fish, but tasted kinda ordinary.

Salted egg fried rice. It's worth returning simply for this fluffy, flavourful rice. The fragrance of salted egg seemed to permeate every grain.

Aunties Ssam,

21, Jalan Kemuning, Off Jalan Imbi.

Tel: 2148-6706

Aseana Cafe @ KLCC

Aseana Cafe has developed a bad reputation, but the food isn't THAT awful.

Keropok lekor. Very generous portion, though it tasted more of flour than fish.

Gado-gado, comprising assorted veggies, squid, egg and peanut sauce. Everything was fresh and crunchy, but the mix wasn't flavourful enough to compete with, say, Subak's.

Marble cheesecake, chocolate brownie and carrot cake. Decent but unmemorable.

Iced Cappuccino & Aseana White (coconut milk, blackgrass jelly, brown sugar).

Aseana Cafe,

KLCC.

Asam Pedas @ The Curve

A nondescript outlet with fairly standard, reasonably priced offerings.

Curry laksa (yellow noodles in coconut gravy with beancurd, bean sprouts, boiled egg and sliced chicken). Pretty forgettable.

Ayam goreng berempah (chicken deep-fried with spices). This fared better. Addictively tender and juicy; wouldn't mind returning simply for this.

Asam Pedas,

The Curve.