Hyde At 53M @ Damansara Uptown

Introducing the Klang Valley's next speakeasy-style bar that's set to be a smash hit: Hyde At 53M, owned by the savvy folks of The Good Batch cafe, will officially launch this week in the cocktail-starved neighbourhood of Damansara Uptown. It's certain to surface on numerous must-lists in the months ahead, so head here soon before the crowds come.

First up: The all-important location. Hyde At 53M is hidden above The Good Batch; take the stairs up & slide the entrance open.

Slickly outfitted to be the embodiment of cool, the epitome of glamour; this is a lounge unlike any other in Petaling Jaya.

Hyde At 53M is separated into two spacious sections: We prefer the air-conditioned indoors, complete with comfy sofas, low lighting & pre-Sinatra jazz, though some will understandably adore the alfresco area that overlooks Damansara Utama's houses.

Hyde At 53M boasts a sweeping selection of liquor, though its cocktail list is more compact for now. Temptations include the Flying Grasshopper (RM35), comprising Smirnoff Red Label vodka, peppermint liquor, cacao liquor & half-&-half, served with an After Eight Mint Chocolate Thin that it emulates very well, flavour-wise.

An acquired taste: Boston Buillon (RM42), with Maker's Mark Red Top bourbon whiskey, Marmite (!), agave & blueberry syrup.

Old-Fashioned (RM40): Bulleit Straight Bourbon, sugar & angostura bitters. All in all, very capably executed cocktails.

Hyde At 53M has its own finger food too; we kinda like the hot & crisp, fresh-tasting sui kow, stuffed with seafood paste.

With everything from wine to craft beers & absinthe to Japanese malts also available, liquor lovers truly have a new sanctuary.

Hyde At 53M
53M, Jalan SS21/1A, Damansara Utama, Petaling Jaya
Tel: 03-7733-2303 (same as The Good Batch's). Open 5pm-2am, Tuesday-Sunday (closed Mondays)

Check out the latest edition of Eat Drink KL: 100 Favourites, featuring 100 recommended restaurants for July-September 2014, including more than 20 new entries for this quarter. 

This eBook is available to read or download at this link: http://eatdrinkkl.publ.com/2014C 

Link expires Sept 30, 2014; see blog entries after that date for new link.

Stay up to date: The Eat Drink KL newsletter is sent by email to subscribers every Monday; it's the Klang Valley's foremost weekly round-up of new restaurant openings (even before they're featured on this blog), F&B promotions & other tasty tidbits.

Subscribe to Eat Drink KL Weekly for free via this following link: 

https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/5106C196432BB23D

Note to subscribers on Gmail: The newsletter will be in the Promotions folder of your inbox.

Sausages to sambal. Muffins to marshmallows. Peanut butter to mango chutney. Cornflake ice cream to honey aloe yogurt. Lavender-laced lemonades to lychee-&-guava juices.

Eat Drink KL: Small Businesses, Huge Flavours is the first eBook to help customers navigate the diversity of independent F&B entrepreneurs who bake & boil in their own kitchens, offering some of Malaysia's finest, most fascinating food products.

This resource will be continuously updated with new listings: www.eatdrinkkl.publ.com/businesses 

103 Coffee Workshop @ Sri Petaling & Work 31 Shop @ Kepong

It's finally happened: The long-ignored neighbourhood of Sri Petaling rolls out the caffeinated carpet this month for the speciality coffee bar it's never had, welcoming 103 Coffee Workshop on a shop-house street that's better known for steamboat restaurants.

103 Coffee Workshop has the makings of an instant hit, capable of luring customers who hail from outside Sri Petaling.

The look is shrewdly slick; right off the bat, this cafe nails the cool factor. The team here works hard to serve the crowds in a fashion that's professional, polite & efficient. But 103 Coffee Workshop turns out to be more of a mass-market business where genuine human warmth & the desire to extend personal courtesies feel elusive.

Still, it's easy to fall in love with some of the food here: 103 Coffee Workshop offers Japanese-inspired creations like this excellent onigiri, which emerged in a hearty portion for RM13.90. The furikake-seasoned sticky rice proves flavoursome & perfectly prepared, stuffed with plenty of moist salmon, wrapped in fresh, crisp seaweed strips.

Accompanied by Japanese omelette & pickles, it's a platter that makes us believe everything else on the soft-launch menu may be worth sampling, especially the chicken teriyaki rice bowl with onsen egg (RM14.90).

For mindless munching: Ultra-crunchy fried pasta with house-made seasoning (RM3.90), something that many tables ordered.

103 Coffee Workshop serves everything from double-shot flat whites (RM10), made with a Brazil-Colombia-Guatemala blend by Johor's well-respected 'M' Espresso Sporting Club, to hand-brewed coffee that relies on Kenyan & Ethiopian single-origin beans.

Other temptations comprise rose-flavoured ice lattes (pleasantly subtle) & cold brews (RM12). A sweeping range of milk teas will be available soon, including Okinawan matcha milk tea with azuki beans (RM9) & Fuji apple red tea with konnyaku jelly (RM8).

Bonus stop: Here's another new cafe being billed a 'workshop' - Work 31 Shop in Kepong, the other end of the Klang Valley.

Work 31 Shop is a little less distinctive, with a something-for-everyone menu. A sliced bagel with runny fried eggs, potatoes, beef bacon & salad clocks in at a fair RM13.90; other potential orders include basic burgers, hot dogs & pastas & pancakes.

The coffee is agreeably priced too, with a hot latte topping out at RM7.90 (add a ringgit for the iced interpretation). 

103 Coffee Workshop

103 Jalan Radin Bagus, Sri Petaling, Kuala Lumpur. Next to 7-Eleven. Open Tues-Sun, 11am-11pm

Work31Shop

Jalan Metro Perdana Barat 2, Kepong

Check out the latest edition of Eat Drink KL: 100 Favourites, featuring 100 recommended restaurants for July-September 2014, including more than 20 new entries for this quarter. 

This eBook is available to read or download at this link: http://eatdrinkkl.publ.com/2014C 

Link expires Sept 30, 2014; see blog entries after that date for new link.

Stay up to date: The Eat Drink KL newsletter is sent by email to subscribers every Monday; it's the Klang Valley's foremost weekly round-up of new restaurant openings (even before they're featured on this blog), F&B promotions & other tasty tidbits.

Subscribe to Eat Drink KL Weekly for free via this following link: 

https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/5106C196432BB23D

Note to subscribers on Gmail: The newsletter will be in the Promotions folder of your inbox.

Sausages to sambal. Muffins to marshmallows. Peanut butter to mango chutney. Cornflake ice cream to honey aloe yogurt. Lavender-laced lemonades to lychee-&-guava juices.

Eat Drink KL: Small Businesses, Huge Flavours is the first eBook to help customers navigate the diversity of independent F&B entrepreneurs who bake & boil in their own kitchens, offering some of Malaysia's finest, most fascinating food products.

This resource will be continuously updated with new listings: www.eatdrinkkl.publ.com/businesses 

Offpeak.my: 100 x RM50 Cash Back on Restaurant Bills

Offpeak.my, a new platform that helps diners save money & time by making restaurant bookings online, is inviting its users to enjoy up to RM50 cash back each on their food bill (for the first 100 eligible entrants).

Just make a booking, eat at any restaurant listed on Offpeak.my & email your bill/receipt to ilove@offpeak.my from now until 8th Sept. 2014 to be eligible. Eat & Win now! A total of RM5,000 worth of cash-back rewards is available for the first 100 entrants.

#iloveoffpeak

TERMS & CONDITIONS OF CONTEST

These Terms and Conditions apply to all participants of The Offpeak.my Eat & Win Up To RM5,000 Cash Back Contest. Participants who take part agree to and are bound by all the terms and conditions as stated below:

Who can enter?

Open to everyone who has a valid bank account in Malaysia.

How do I enter?

All you need to do is make a booking and eat at any of the restaurants listed on Offpeak.my and email your bill/receipt & confirmation booking ID # to ilove@offpeak.my .The bill must clearly show the restaurant name, date and time, and amount.

What is the contest period?

The contest will begin on 26 August 2014 and end on 8 September 2014 at 2359 GMT. Any submissions received after this time will not be accepted. 

Are all the restaurants available for booking?

Yes. You can choose any restaurant on Offpeak.my. However, only 1 (one) winner per 30-minute timeslot per restaurant is available. Valid only for dining during the restaurant's offer periods (0% slots are not eligible).

Can I submit more than once?

Eligible winners can only win once throughout the campaign period.

How do I win?

The first 100 receipts fulfilling the above criteria received will automatically be the winners.

What are the prizes?

100 bookings x RM 50 cashback, or the total amount in the dining receipt, whichever is lower.

How will the winners be notified?

Winners will be contacted via email and will be published on the Offpeak.my Facebook Page or Instagram. Winners will be requested to provide their bank account number, booking email, full name and phone number to verify the Booking ID #.

This is a sponsored post by Offpeak.my

Wei Kee: Imbi to Subang & Yummy Duck @ Kuchai Lama

It's the end of the road for Wei Kee in Imbi; the respected specialist in duck & goose meat is closing this branch & heading to Subang Jaya at the end of September because of tenancy troubles. 

We bade a fond farewell to Wei Kee's Imbi outpost with a full order of its whole roast duck (RM52) - not as memorable as the juiciest, meatiest & most flavourful ones out there, but customers in Subang can still give this a shot soon. The restaurant has recently faced problems securing a consistent supply of imported goose, so that wasn't available for our visit.

 Wei Kee's other offerings made for a pleasant-enough meal - from vinegar pork (RM16), steamed tilapia (RM30) & egg (RM8) ...

 ... to mustard greens & other assorted veggies (mostly between RM10-RM12). Note: Wei Kee's Pudu outlet on Lorong Yap Hin will continue operating; only the Imbi branch is relocating.

 As this forlorn poster states, Wei Kee will commence business on Oct. 1 at 25, Jalan USJ 9/5N, Subang Business Centre.

Hungry for another fowl feast, we moved on to Yummy Duck, one of Kuchai Lama's seemingly countless Chinese eateries.

The selection is enjoyably extensive & well-prepared, with classics sharing the spotlight with contemporary concoctions. Highlights include smoked duck with black pepper (RM17), spring rolls stuffed with duck & lovely braised goose feet (RM15).

Traditional roast chicken (RM25 for half) or a version of wings stuffed with glutinous rice (RM13)? We like the latter.

Pork's all present: Siu yok (RM22) & char siu (RM19) to spare ribs in Mongolian gravy or honey BBQ sauce (RM19 each).

Yummy Duck takes pride as well in its noodles, which taste pretty good & turn out to be nicely textured too.

Wei Kee (in Imbi until Sept. 30)

10, Medan Imbi, Jalan Imbi, Kuala Lumpur

Yummy Duck

9 Jalan Kuchai Maju 18, Off Jalan Kuchai Lama, Kuala Lumpur

Check out the latest edition of Eat Drink KL: 100 Favourites, featuring 100 recommended restaurants for July-September 2014, including more than 20 new entries for this quarter. 

This eBook is available to read or download at this link: http://eatdrinkkl.publ.com/2014C 

Link expires Sept 30, 2014; see blog entries after that date for new link.

Stay up to date: The Eat Drink KL newsletter is sent by email to subscribers every Monday; it's the Klang Valley's foremost weekly round-up of new restaurant openings (even before they're featured on this blog), F&B promotions & other tasty tidbits.

Subscribe to Eat Drink KL Weekly for free via this following link: 

https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/5106C196432BB23D

Note to subscribers on Gmail: The newsletter will be in the Promotions folder of your inbox.

Sausages to sambal. Muffins to marshmallows. Peanut butter to mango chutney. Cornflake ice cream to honey aloe yogurt. Lavender-laced lemonades to lychee-&-guava juices.

Eat Drink KL: Small Businesses, Huge Flavours is the first eBook to help customers navigate the diversity of independent F&B entrepreneurs who bake & boil in their own kitchens, offering some of Malaysia's finest, most fascinating food products.

This resource will be continuously updated with new listings: www.eatdrinkkl.publ.com/businesses 

Caffeinated Cabin @ Gasing, Petaling Jaya

It might not exactly be a cabin in the woods, but this new cafe - run by a 21-year-old (!) - is pretty well-hidden too, nestled within a leafy compound beside the La Salle secondary school on PJ's Jalan Gasing.

How to head here? Drive past the school on your left (in the direction of Jalan Universiti toward Old Klang Road), then look out immediately for the Chezz hair salon. Free outdoor parking for several cars is available behind the building, which houses both Chezz & its freshly introduced unique extension, Caffeinated Cabin.

Caffeinated Cabin is an appointment-worthy destination for social media junkies; this place is perfect for photography, so expect every nook of it to pop up on Instagram in the weeks ahead, from the air-conditioned interior where lots of sunlight streams in ...

... to the great outdoors, an idyllic space that's ideal for an afternoon's escape, making us wish the weather were much cooler.

Caffeinated Cabin's soft-launch menu marks a solid start; the smoked duck open-face sandwich is generously piled with more meat than expected, carefully prepared & pretty tasty with thick potato wedges (RM20.90). Cafe owner Derry is not a novice in this business - his father runs Touche Pastries at Section 17, so he has the family's backing.

Poached egg with raisin toast, mozzarella cheese, rocket leaves & mango puree (RM19.90). Interesting combo; Caffeinated Cabin has potential. Note though: The kitchen is tiny & still working out the kinks; food orders might take a bit long to emerge.

 No lack of pastries & sweet treats on display here, all sourced from Touche's ovens nearby for maximum practicality.

Passion fruit, mango & other citrus-based desserts; for better or worse, Caffeinated Cabin certainly has a taste for the tangy.

Coffee's Coffex, definitely decent. There's also an unusual lemon-laced iced coffee here that could be an acquired taste.

Affogato, elaborate & extra-creamy, with not only fresh-brewed espresso & ice cream but whipped cream & caramel sauce too.

 For folks who are visiting Caffeinated Cabin this weekend, you might be interested to also check out the Pullman Kuala Lumpur Bangsar Wedding Fair at The Pullman Kuala Lumpur Bangsar hotel, only a 10-minute drive away. The Wedding Fair on Aug. 30-31 showcases the Pullman Grand Ballroom as well as various packages. Twelve service providers in the wedding industry will be present to supply exclusive promotions and wedding tips to visitors.

This is the Pullman KL Bangsar’s first Wedding Fair to provide to-be-wedded love birds with memorable weddings through its sincere services and spacious ballroom.

Caffeinated Cabin

64, Jalan Gasing, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Open 7am-7pm, except Mondays

Check out the latest edition of Eat Drink KL: 100 Favourites, featuring 100 recommended restaurants for July-September 2014, including more than 20 new entries for this quarter. 

This eBook is available to read or download at this link: http://eatdrinkkl.publ.com/2014C 

Link expires Sept 30, 2014; see blog entries after that date for new link.

Stay up to date: The Eat Drink KL newsletter is sent by email to subscribers every Monday; it's the Klang Valley's foremost weekly round-up of new restaurant openings (even before they're featured on this blog), F&B promotions & other tasty tidbits.

Subscribe to Eat Drink KL Weekly for free via this following link: 

https://confirmsubscription.com/h/d/5106C196432BB23D

Note to subscribers on Gmail: The newsletter will be in the Promotions folder of your inbox.

Sausages to sambal. Muffins to marshmallows. Peanut butter to mango chutney. Cornflake ice cream to honey aloe yogurt. Lavender-laced lemonades to lychee-&-guava juices.

Eat Drink KL: Small Businesses, Huge Flavours is the first eBook to help customers navigate the diversity of independent F&B entrepreneurs who bake & boil in their own kitchens, offering some of Malaysia's finest, most fascinating food products.

This resource will be continuously updated with new listings: www.eatdrinkkl.publ.com/businesses