Trishna @ Istana Hotel

Quite a pleasant option for North Indian food in the city center, with a sterling service team that really knows its menu.

Keeping things light at the outset of a heavy meal, starting with fresh, crisp papadum.

Chicken drumstick stuffed with minced mutton (RM14++). Desecration? Complementary, actually; two meats sometimes do work better than one.

But for customers who want only one type of meat on each plate: kebab-like boneless chicken, seasoned, skewered & grilled with an egg coating (RM19++).

Parantha, laced with cauliflower for thicker texture (RM9++).

Keema egg curry (RM20++). Creamy, ideal with rice or bread to soak everything up.

Paneer makhani (RM18++). Trishna claims to make its own cheese. Smooth stuff.

Good gravy: Black lentil daal & Green spinach mutton saag.

Trishna's triumphant triumvirate: chicken, mutton & veggies _ layered, rolled & grilled.

Can't beat a combo of chicken, creamy sauce & rice, especially when the fowl dish is called "Chicken Maharaja" (cooked with cashew paste, nuts, poppy seeds, saffron & milk) while the grains are Jeera Rice, laced with cumin seeds.

Wine or cocktails? For the latter, this Cranberry Martini (RM25++) is worth a shot.

Chivas & Black Label 12 Years Scotch Whisky (RM18++ per 30-ml glass).

Trishna's motto is "spice, rice & everything nice at a reasonable price." Run by a couple who've been married for three decades, this certainly is a place that deserves some attention.

Trishna Indian Restaurant,

Level B1, Istana Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.

Tel: 03-2142-1575

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.

Mr Duck Teow Cheow Porridge & Pontian Wanton Noodles @ Sri Petaling

No one can accuse Sri Petaling of lacking options for fans of Chinese rice & noodle recipes. 

Paying homage to piping-hot porridge: Mr Duck Teow Cheow serves one with sweet potato ...

... combined with briny duck & stewed pork to counter its relative blandness ...

... plus pork intestines & egg. OK for RM15, but not as flavorful as this could be.

Also on this row of eateries: Pontian Wanton Noodles.

For RM5, we get nicely firm noodles slicked up with tomato sauce ...

... & partnered with slivers of char siew & some dumplings for a simple lunch.

Mr Duck Teow Cheow & Pontian Wanton Noodles,
Jalan Radin Bagus, Sri Petaling, Kuala Lumpur.

Niji Japanese Restaurant @ KLGCC

Cocooned within Bukit Kiara's country club, Niji serves a sparkling spread of specialties.

The food here is reasonably priced for an upscale restaurant. This sushi platter costs RM80, which might not seem super-cheap, but the selection of raw fish and seafood tastes fresh enough to recommend.

Aussie Crystal Bay prawns from Queensland, served sashimi-style. Lovably luscious; a recipe like this begs the question: why bother even cooking prawns, ever?

Salmon roe with radish. A refreshing starter, packing a potent punch of flavor.

Codfish grilled in cod roe mayo. Our favorite; the fish alone would be satisfyingly succulent, but the mentaiko lifts it to creamier heights.

Boiled Japanese abalone. Addictive; rife with juicy abalone slices in a nutty gravy.

Rolled sushi with plum sauce. Skip this one; the paste tastes overpoweringly strong.

Grilled mackerel. Not as fishy as we might fear; one of the better saba preparations in KL, thanks to its moist, meaty texture.

Seafood tempura. Expertly prepared, boasting light, fluffy batter.

Miso soup to wrap up a nice meal, worth the effort of searching for a spot at the visitors' car park outside the club compound and walking inside to reach the restaurant.

Potato, wheat and rice shochu.

Kimoto Tsukiri sake.

Niji Japanese Restaurant,

Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club.

Olive @ Sooka Sentral

Fun fare at KL Sentral: Olive's menu features a healthy heap of assured ambition.

A splash of sunshine to brighten up our night: love this sandwich of house-cured salmon with egg, avocado, tomato salsa, capers & aioli in ciabatta.

Olive seems to be a sister outlet of Melbourne's Shakahari, so here's something from that vegetarian specialist: satisfyingly chunky, flavorsome satay built with bean curd, seitan, onions & capsicum, served with pickles, blanched greens, red jasmine rice & a nice peanut sauce.

Can't complain about the pumpkin soup, piping-hot with pepita seeds, salsa & herb crouton.

Slick, slippery linguine with slow-cooked duck in savory spiced stock, tossed with herbs, rocket, oven-dried cherry tomatoes & chili flakes.

Chicken Medina, comprising a char-grilled, bone-free thigh, glazed with coriander chili, served with roasted pumpkin. Pretty enjoyable chicken preparation.

Multiple types of fries; our favorite has to be the sweet potato variety. Addictive.

Flourless choc cake with nuts, cereal & strawberries, a low-guilt end to a high-satisfaction meal.

Shelly Beach Cabernet Merlot, OK for below RM100 but not particularly recommended.

Olive @ Sooka Sentral,
G5, Sooka Sentral, Jalan Stesen Sentral, Kuala Lumpur.
Tel: 03-2785-1988

Connoisseurs @ KLGCC

The Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club has no lack of fine-dining venues, but Connoisseurs might be the best bet for corporate events & celebrations.

This sprawling outlet features a cigar lounge with sofas in which we'd easily lose ourselves ...

... plus an alfresco area that might serve as a vantage point for the leafy surroundings.

Connoisseurs' menu is wide, with something for many budgets _ RM38++ spaghetti set lunches to RM1,888 live Alaskan king crabs that weigh a whopping four kilograms.

Anchovies & melted cheese on thick French loaf bread. Savory simplicity.

So many clams, of the Venus variety, brimming in creamy chowder.

Risotto, pretty well-prepared, with cherry tomatoes, olive oil & chili, topped with alarmingly phallic Dutch white asparagus.

Aussie Angus Sturt Ridge Shiraz & Poetic Justice Adelaide Hills Chardonnay.

Gin & Sin, a martini with grenadine & orange & lemon juices.

But what really knocks us out here: boozy hot chocolate, creamy & flavorsome, laced with the likes of Bailey's (our recommendation), kahlua or Jameson's whiskey.

Water isn't free here, so be ready to fork out for still or sparkling.

Connoisseurs,
Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club.
Tel: 03-2094-9888