Purple Cats

Casual cafes are sprouting up all over Solaris Dutamas; this cheerful one seems to be run by a Korean family and serves mainly desserts and (non-alcoholic) drinks.

Caramel banana waffles. Not bad; the waffles were the supermarket-bought variety, but they turned out well enough. A real stomach-filler, though.

Honey butter bread. A whopping diet-killer, topped with loads of whipped cream.

Frozen yogurt with peach & dried fruits. Soft, smooth and sweet.

Cafe latte, ice caramel macchiato & green tea blended. Decent drinks.

Forgot to ask why they named it "Purple Cats." No live felines roaming here.

Purple Cats Coffee,

A3-G2-09, Solaris Dutamas, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 6205-3071

Kin No Uma

A bit off the beaten track, but that makes Kin No Uma ideal for an idyllic weekday dinner, especially for customers who want the whole restaurant to themselves.

Can't really complain about the sashimi; all the raw fish & prawns tasted fairly fresh, even though the selection was rather run-of-the-mill.

Steamed rice with green tea soup & grilled spicy cod roe. Rustic fare; turned into porridge-like comfort food, once we poured the piping-hot broth fully into the bowl.

Yosenabe, a hot pot overflowing with seafood & veggies. Wholesome, stomach-warming soup. A fitting finish to a relatively healthy gastronomic expedition.

Nihon Sakari sake. Not exactly a show-stopper, but it'll do.

Yep, for better or worse, it's so quiet here, customers could engage in an entire conversation by simply whispering to each other.

Kin No Uma,

Palace of the Golden Horses.

100 Maneiras

Portugal, Part II: One of Lisbon's most heavily hyped restaurants, for good reason. Service is sparkling, the setting is unpretentiously cozy and the food is impressive.

A la carte menus aren't available at this dinner-only outlet; every customer has no choice but to savor the same multi-course set, which 100 Maneiras changes each night _ reminiscent of KL's own Millesime.

Cod fish "clothes line." A playfully presented conversation-starter, comprising petite pieces of fish crackers. Crisp, very light and not oily at all.

Melon soup & foie gras bonbon. Ideal for whetting the appetite; the soup was cool and tangy, while the bonbon was a creamy, melt-in-the-mouth pleasure.

Marinated scallop with walnut oil, celery puree & truffle vinaigrette. The nuttiness of the oil was a superb foil for the smooth, fresh-tasting scallops.

Salmon tartar with elderberry flower cream, sesame pesto & pineapple mash. A luscious recipe with complicated flavors that linger long and lovingly on the tongue. Who says salmon has to be boring (even though it usually is)?

Squid ink vermicelli with baby squid. Boasted a slick brininess. Black is beautiful!

Sauteed meagre (a type of sea bass) with crushed potatoes & basil oil. A little less inspiring than the earlier courses; nothing wrong with this fish, but there was nothing revelatory in its taste and texture.

Palate-cleanser of mint & lime sorbet with champagne.

Rump cut beef with black beans, rice cake & Brazilian cabbage. Not the best cut of meat, but the alchemists in the kitchen managed to make this tender and flavorsome enough to enjoy.

Desserts comprised serra cheese ice cream with quince jelly & peach cheesecake. Forgot to upload those photos with the rest of this entry.

100 Maneiras,

Lisbon, Portugal.

Karma

This lovely lounge lets customers sink blissfully into fat, feather-soft cushions.

It's easy to relax amid these lush, landscaped gardens, where swaying palm trees and charming chalets might help us believe we're in a distant, exotic getaway _ instead of Cyberjaya.

A compact menu offers simple sandwiches and snacks, such as crisp calamari.

Prawn cocktail. The food is competently prepared, but wholly forgettable.

Miniature crab cakes. Alas, these tasted more like potato cakes.

Creatively named cocktails, befitting of Cyberjaya's technology hub aspirations: Karma Tera Bytes (vodka, malibu, triple sec, lime juice, blue curacao, pineapple juice) & Karma Mega Bytes (brandy, galliano, triple sec, lemon juice, sugar syrup).

Good Broadband (vodka, creme de cacao, baileys, kahlua, frangelico, amaretto) & Karma Wi-Fi (vodka, triple sec, mango, orange juice).

Karma Bar & Lounge,

Cyberview Lodge Resort & Spa, Cyberjaya.

Ozeki Tokyo

Back to Ozeki. Earlier entry: February 27.

A different amuse bouche is served here every time, and it's always a little bit mysterious. This was some sort of veggie with thin strips of tofu. Or maybe fried eggs.

Pirikara konnyaku koroni, also known as "devil's tongue" (simmered spicy Japanese yam pudding). Fascinating food, almost flavorless on its own but with a texture that straddled that fine line between gelatinous and chewy.

Mentaiko spaghetti, featuring fish roe, soy sauce, perilla leaves & dried seaweed. Creamy, mildly spicy and umami-packed; good enough to give Italian pastas a run for their money.

Sliced tomatoes topped with tosa vinegar jelly. Innately sweet tomatoes, handed a spicy punch from some mustard sauce and a savory kick from dried bonito flakes.

White wheat noodles with hijiki seaweed & diced tomatoes. A cross between fried udon & spaghetti aglio olio. Well, almost, anyway.

Steamed rice with assorted seafood in a hot steel bowl, requiring 30 minutes of cooking at the table. Patience was crucial after the service team placed this in front of us at 7.40pm.

The result wasn't quite worth the agonizing wait. We were expecting something moist, sticky and aromatic, but this was somewhat dry and bland.

Ozeki Tokyo,

Jalan P. Ramlee, Kuala Lumpur.

Pei Zing

A satisfactory lunch during a recent day trip to my hometown of Malacca.

Steamed frog with essence of chicken in lotus leaf. Bony, of course, but tender. We lapped up the broth, which truly tasted like chicken soup for the soul.

Crispy pork knuckle. Yummy, though the portion was puny for 25 ringgit.

Bean curd with scallops & broccoli. Tasted healthy, but not bland. Hurray!

Steamed chicken with Chinese sausage. Delightfully aromatic; sparks of gastronomic synergy flew between the sweet 'lap cheong' & the chunky chicken.

Baked prawns with glass noodles. Hearty and well-executed; no complaints.

Pei Zing,

Taman Melaka Raya, Melaka.