I'm Not A Chef @ Kota Damansara

It's a bit off the beaten track, but this cool cafe with a memorable name is worth visiting, thanks to the efforts of co-owners Natalie & Stef, two friends with a heart for good food & friendly service.

Homey & casual, featuring a menu of fairly familiar fare at a cheerfully cheap cost.

Nat hails from Miri, so a variation of Sarawak's kolo mee is one of the specialties here, topped with minced chicken, braised egg & sliced mushrooms. No pork, but no matter; it's satisfyingly tasty nevertheless.

The noodles come with accompaniments including a nourishing soup for only RM5.50.

The menu here is a mix of both East & West; a heartily enjoyable lamb burger is available alongside everything from pancakes & omelets to paratha & black pepper udon, with many items priced under RM10.

Save space for desserts; a counter full of them includes the likes of this fresh-tasting apple pie, warmed up for sweet gratification & served with vanilla ice cream.

Red velvet, available in both in sliced cake & cupcake form.

Croissants, muffins, puffs & more; it's a carb-lover's fully baked fantasy.

Carrot cakes, chocolate cakes; we only had a small taste of some of these, but we liked them.

Enough dessert porn? Yeah, that'll do. Truth to tell, we wanted to try everything.

Caffeine: I'm Not A Chef offers Puro Fairtrade coffee & tea.

Not bad; probably not as flavorsome as we like our lattes, but that's our own flaw.

I'm Not A Chef serves no wine, but Thai & Vietnamese beers seek to fill that void.

I'm Not A Chef Cafe,

B6-2-5, Jalan Teknologi 2/1E, Signature Park, Kota Damansara.

Tel: 03-6143-7440

Open 10am-10pm, Monday-Saturday

Shin Tokyo Sushi & Ramen Ten @ Jaya 33

Checking out Shin Tokyo Sushi & Ramen Ten, two sister restaurants that opened side-by-side this month at PJ's Jaya33; customers can sit at either outlet & order from both to relish a meal of sushi & ramen all at once.

 Start with sushi: The Tamago Mayo Nigiri (RM5.60 before taxes) seems somewhat inspired by the late Fukuharu's famed mentai sushi. Astonishingly, it tastes almost as terrific, thanks to its melt-in-the-mouth, eggy creamy-savoriness.

 Less impressive: The lobster salad roll. Portions of the topping taste like an inferior version of dried scallops, though it's nevertheless not a rip-off, considering the ultra-low price of RM12.80.

 Unagi chawanmushi, a recipe that works. Blessed be thick slices of freshwater eel.

Another fun combo: Garlic fried rice, topped with salmon sashimi & roe. The rice could probably use more flavor, but the fishy components of this are fine.

Onward to ramen: The menu's extensive, with crayfish noodles the top recommendation. 

 Decent for a bowl that's priced like most shopping mall ramen, comprising sufficient crustacean flesh to satisfy. Broth's not wonderful but it's not exactly weak either.

 If the names Shin Tokyo Sushi & Ramen Ten sound vaguely familiar, that might be because both brands come from Singapore, where they operate a few outlets.

 Both restaurants are known even in Singapore as being completely halal eateries, which explains why sake, shochu, wine & cocktails are sadly absent in this entry. Oh, well. On the plus side, service is efficient enough & fairly friendly.

Shin Tokyo Sushi & Ramen Ten,

Ground Floor, Jaya 33, Petaling Jaya.

Teppanyaki Matsuoka @ Solaris Dutamas

Teppanyaki isn't the most popular thing in KL, but this new Japanese outlet at Solaris Dutamas wants to help change that, with a menu dedicated to the art of grilling.

Teppanyaki Matsuoka is headed by executive chef Shuji Hamagami, whose work has spanned restaurants in Japan & the United States, including at New York teppanyaki specialist Benihana.

Omi beef is Matsuoka's highlight, flown in from Shiga prefecture; have it raw for starters (RM35++) to savor the purity of its mild-flavored smoothness.

Move on to the Omi beef sirloin teppanyaki, RM138++ for 100 grams.

Fatty-tasting in its marbled glory, it's an indulgence worth trying, though some customers might prefer the meatier chew of regular steaks.

Accompanying sauces & dips are inessential though nonetheless fun for extra flavoring.

Patrons on tighter budgets can still enjoy regular-priced fare like (non-Omi) handmade hamburg (RM23++), appetizing in appearance & excellent in execution.

For non-beef eaters, seafood, chicken & veggies are available too. We'll likely hear more about Teppanyaki Matsuoka in the months ahead; it might be one to watch.

Balance all that protein with a big bowl of veggies dressed in a wasabi-tinged vinaigrette.

Two Oceans wine, available by the bottle & RM20++ glass.

Johnnie Walker & Jack Daniel's Black Label whiskies.

Teppanyaki Matsuoka,

A3-G2-1, Solaris Dutamas, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-6211-6226

Open daily for lunch & dinner.

Benjamin Coffee @ Hartamas & Bulb Coffee @ Damansara Jaya

Checking out two more caffeine-crazy newbies, these ones seeking success at the suburban shop-lots of Desa Sri Hartamas & Damansara Jaya.

First up, Benjamin Coffee & Tea, a friendly, no-frills cafe that uses 100 percent Arabica beans & German tea leaves for its beverages.

Benjamin's latte is enjoyable enough, well-paired with a nice slice of red velvet cake.

Next: Bulb Coffee, also a welcoming place eager to ensure a pleasant experience for patrons. 

Bulb's desserts are homemade by the cheerful owner's aunt; love this chilled Oreo cheesecake, a light, mousse-like delight that's ideal for a hot afternoon. RM8.

Affogato, well-priced for RM10 nett. Basic salads, sandwiches & pasta are available too.

Bonus coffee stop: Returning to Hartamas' Podgy & The Banker.

Earlier entry on Podgy & The Banker: July 23.

Podgy now serves brunch fare, mercifully available through 5pm. Eggs are well-executed here; have 'em poached with spinach & garlic (RM10), fried or scrambled.

Chicken & avocado sandwich with tomato salad. Simple satisfaction for RM14 nett.

Podgy's business hours have changed since July; it now opens 9am-midnight, except Tuesdays. What hasn't changed: The signature 'frowny face' featured on hot chocolates & macchiatos here.

Podgy & The Banker,
2 Jalan Sri Hartamas 8, Kuala Lumpur.

Benjamin's Coffee & Tea,
40, Jalan 24/70A, Desa Sri Hartamas, Kuala Lumpur.
Open Monday-Saturday, 9am-10pm.
Tel: 03-6206-4196

The Bulb Coffee,
75, Jalan SS 22/19, Damansara Jaya. Open 9am-8pm daily.

Coco Bar African Food @ Solaris Dutamas

Looking for something a little unusual at Solaris Dutamas? Coco Bar's offerings fit the bill, though they might prove an acquired taste.

Coco Bar tackles the exotic adventure of West African cuisine; the kitchen's commandeered by at least one person from that region. Imported ingredients purportedly feature in this 'egusi' soup, a much-seasoned stew of melon seeds & leaf veggies.

Egusi can be enjoyed with 'ponmo' (RM10 nett), the rubbery hide of a cow, & internal organs like 'shaki' (tripe) & what-not. Probably not something we'd want to eat everyday.

To make the meal more filling: 'Eba,' starchy-grainy balls of dried grated cassava. A serving of the soup with this costs RM30, not exactly cheap but not excessively costly.

We like the African-style grilled fish at any rate: Whole sea bass, well-marinated, moist & meaty, served with fried plantains, onions, mayo & green chili sauce.

The fish is packaged with two glasses of wine (the white's better than the red) for RM85 nett.

No African cocktails, but two Mojitos come for the price of one (RM28 nett) during happy hours that stretch well past 8pm. Slightly more sweet than intoxicating, but perfectly fine for this price.

Coco Bar & Kitchen,

D4-G4-09, Solaris Dutamas, Kuala Lumpur.

Open 4pm through late. Tel: 03-6211-0708