Oki Shokudo, Damansara Kim

Oki Shokudo offers a health-conscious take on ramen in Damansara Kim - konjac noodles, gluten-free and keto-friendly, firm and springy, is served in saba mackerel-based fish broth blended with beetroot and soy milk for earthy-sweet umami, complete with custardy-yolked ajitsuke tamago and antibiotic-free chicken chashu (RM22), for cleaner eating than conventional ramen. Bolster the bowl with more fish - luscious, lightly pan-seared Alaskan wild king salmon with ponzu (RM23) - for all the Omega-3 that your heart desires, washed down with kedondong kombucha for guiltless gluttony.

Oki Shokudo 

37, Jalan SS20/11, Damansara Kim, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Koohii & Co, Kia Peng

If you’re always on the lookout for satisfying coffee in the city centre, Koohii & Co fits the bill, an under-the-radar stand that harnesses Aceh Gayo beans for its lattes, hidden inside Menara HLX, barely a five-minute walk from Pavilion KL. 

Koohii & Co

Menara HLX, Jalan Kia Peng, Kuala Lumpur.

Hobo Coffee Warehouse, Damansara Kim

This calm cafe in Damansara Kim is ideal for an hour’s respite from the madding crowd - frills-free toast with butter and boiled eggs might be sustenance that speaks to the soul on melancholy mornings.

Hobo Coffee Warehouse 

37-1, Jalan SS20/11, Damansara Kim, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Lolla Paluza, Sea Park

Lolling at Lolla Paluza: Sea Park’s welcoming new cafe offers cold comfort from the sweltering heat, sweetening up sunny afternoons with smooth, house-made soft serve ice cream and deep-and-dark banana chocolate milkshakes. 

Lolla Paluza 

2A, Jalan SS21/19A, Sea Park, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Banh Mi Om Nom Nom, Petaling Jaya

Banh mi monsters, bookmark Banh Mi Om Nom Nom: Helmed by a HCMC chef, this small space packs a big punch, serving PJ’s most customisable range of porcine Vietnamese sandwiches, stuffed with your choice of roast pork, cinnamon pork ham, pork head cheese, pork skin and more.

Our choice: a comfortingly creamy, clean-tasting combo of soft omelette with extra pork pate, brightened with coriander, chillies and pickles for a lively, lovely lunch, encased in a warm, airy-crispy baguette (RM11), making us fall in love all over again with the simple, super-satisfying brilliance of banh mi. 

Banh Mi Om Nom Nom

132, Block A, Kelana Center Point, Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Homesick Alien, Kota Damansara

Celebrate this Stranger Things weekend with a close encounter with Homesick Alien, which is taking reservations Saturday and Sunday for the soft launch of a Kota Damansara cafe inspired by 1960s space-age aesthetics, serving extraterrestrial-themed novelties like prawn patty burgers with UFO initial-branded buns. 

We’re fans of everything from E.T. to Starman to Contact, but unfortunately, we can’t make it to Homesick Alien this weekend.

Still, we eagerly popped by earlier for a peek from outside - the place looks fun, with a friendly service crew and a Cold War-era sense of cheesy-cool sci-fi, spanning Panton-style wall bubble panels to Aarnio ball chairs. Tell us what you think if you visit!

Homesick Alien

Level LG1, Unit A-G-05, Dataran Cascades, Jalan Kota Damansara, 47810 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Cafe Marino, Sunway Damansara

Tucked inside the Marino Academy barista training facility, Cafe Marino serves up coffee on weekdays, catering discreetly to Sunway Damansara’s industrial enclave. Its latte is well worthwhile (RM10), harnessing the Caffe Vergnano 1882 blend for a delicately aromatic brew with a subtle acidity.

Cafe Marino

11A, Jalan PJU 3/49, Sunway Damansara, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. 

Corak & Pattern, Bangsar

From scarves and scented candles to plush toy bunnies: Corakandpattern is Telawi’s lifestyle retailer with a new in-house cafe, a tranquil refuge from Bangsar’s bustle - its espresso-based coffee relies on Penang-roasted Frank Laurent beans for a fragrant, full-bodied flat white. An event space is also available, sometimes hosting art exhibitions.

Corakandpattern

12-1, Jalan Telawi 5, Bangsar, Kuala Lumpur.