Wetzel's Pretzels Malaysia @ Sunway Pyramid

Craving carbs? Pretzel Power to the rescue! California-based chain Wetzel's Pretzels has opened its first Malaysian outpost in Sunway Pyramid, promising doughy delights that taste fresh & hot from the oven.

A different kind of pretzel for every type of taste bud, from plain salted/unsalted ones that start from RM3 to premium varieties enriched with garlic butter, sour cream & onion, cheese, pepperoni, cinnamon, chocolate or almonds (up to RM5 per pretzel).

These flavoursome pretzels are the soft-baked sort but they still supply a pleasant chew, substantial but not strenuous. Hearty enough to be filling meals, not simply a snack. Our only possible complaint: they're pretty oily.

Sure, these are entirely empty calories of the fast-food variety, but they sure put the pleasure in 'guilty pleasure.'

Also fun to try: Wetzel Bitz, convenient RM5 bags of bite-sized pieces of pretzel.

We have to confess to also liking the Wetzel Cheese Dog (RM9), a thick-&-long beef frankfurter wrapped in cheesy-crusty pretzel dough. A trillion calories consumed in 10 minutes.

Wetzel's Pretzels Malaysia

LG2, Sunway Pyramid, Petaling Jaya. Near McDonald's, near skating rink.

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Jibby & Co @ Empire Shopping Gallery

Returning to Subang's Jibby & Co, this time to try its lunch & dinner selection. Earlier entry on Jibby's breakfast: March 23.

Start with salads: Jibby serves fresh, hearty ones with fun twists, such as this visually tantalising version of Salad Nicoise (RM28 before taxes) that substitutes tuna with blue swimmer crab meat (a step up, for sure), combined with tomatoes, corn, new potatoes, half-boiled eggs, french beans, baby romaine, onions & boiled eggs with a sesame dressing.

Panko-crumbed boiled egg with salmon, asparagus spears, zucchini, dill, edamame, ikura & seeded mustard dressing (RM29), a princely portion that could easily work as a main course.

An eclectic list of light bites is also available, ranging from salted egg yolk chicken 'popcorn' (RM22, leaning a little more toward wet than creamy) to hummus with minced lamb & pine nuts.

Whole soft-shell crab burger on brioche (RM29), a big treat for fans of this crispy crustacean, coupled with Asian coleslaw, spicy mayo & sweet potato fries. 

Not everything here's a smash hit though; we wanted to like this appealing-looking pizza, topped with Moroccan-inspired lamb shank meat, pine nuts, roasted aubergine, za'atar herbs, natural yoghurt & baby spinach (RM35), but it was less punchy-tasting than expected, with a base that evoked supermarket-variety crusts. But no point being negative & dwelling on this.

Lots of cakes in the chiller; temptations include Vogue (RM16.50, fraisier genoise sponge, mousseline cream, vanilla & strawberries), Meteora (five-layer hazelnut dacquoise, praline & paste), apple cakes with almond crumble, chocolate pavlovas, lemon meringue tarts, nutella cakes & more.

 Jibby & Co is strictly halal, as is much of Empire Shopping Gallery; there seem to be only four or five outlets in this mall _ such as Italiannies _ where customers can unwind in the evening over wine & cocktails.

 Italiannies _ mercifully less than a three-minute stroll from Jibby & Co _ has a lounge at the back that's hidden but spacious, ideal for escaping the crowds.

The house wines at Italiannies are OK, but the cocktails aren't, barely befitting their deceptively low RM20+ price tag. The Mojito is more fizz than liquor, while the Sangria is artificial-tasting & cloying.

Jibby & Co

GK11, Empire Shopping Gallery, Subang Jaya

Tel: 03-5613-7070

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Fuku Den @ Delima, Off Imbi

Fukuden is a spin-off of KL's long-enduring favourite Fukuya; the two restaurants are located across the road from each other, but Fukuden, which opened this year, isn't exactly a crowd magnet so far.

Prices could be a problem here; Fukuden has a distinctive hook, offering robatayaki cooking in the evening, but its mainly imported seafood is budget-busting, with a scallop on the shell at RM70, king tiger prawns for RM42 each & assorted fish at 'market prices' that can easily exceed RM100 apiece.

Plenty of air-flown beef & veggies available as well at the atmospherically alluring robata counter. 

Everything's charcoal-grilled slowly in a traditional fashion; take your time to linger here. 

We settled for the cheapest fish we could find: Three pieces of Hokkaido shishamo (RM15 before taxes). 

Miso-marinated chicken (RM30). For what it's worth, the food is flavoursome & well-prepared, with a succulent smokiness.

That was about all the protein we could afford, so we moved on to Japanese sweet potatoes (RM18) ... 

 ... a whole onion (RM22) ...

 ... & leeks (RM8). For lunch (as well as dinner), Fukuden serves no-pork ramen, sushi rolls & tempura.

Amazingly, alcohol will likely prove more affordable than the food at Fukuden. 

Fuku Den

10 Jalan Delima, Off Jalan Imbi, Kuala Lumpur

Lunch & dinner, except Sundays (lunch only). Tel: 03-2141-6939

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As a separate initiative, the latest edition of Eat Drink KL: 100 Favorites for January-March 2014 is now online, featuring 100 pretty nice eateries, including more than 20 new entries for this quarter. This eBook of restaurant recommendations is available for free, convenient reading on computers, tablets & smartphones at this link: http://eatdrinkkl.publ.com/Eat-Drink-KL-100-Favorites-Jan-March-2014 (This link expires March 31, 2014; see blog entries after that date for new link).

Amaze K @ Kota Damansara & Ttp.my Print Cafe @ Solaris Dutamas

Visiting a couple of cafes with a few interesting ideas, starting with Amaze K, a handsomely outfitted outlet that opened this month in an unlikely location: A remote street in Kota Damansara that mainly houses auto workshops & machinery wholesalers.

With no other restaurants on this row, far removed from this neighbourhood's busier vicinities, Amaze K might prove both a sight for sore eyes & salvation for starving tummies, thanks to a wide-ranging menu that includes poached eggs on an English muffin with potato rosti, smoked salmon & hollandaise sauce (RM9.90 before taxes).

Grilled lamb short loin with potatoes & veggies. The food tastes fairly reasonable for what it costs. One bowl of mushroom soup at Amaze K clocks in at RM5, a nine-inch teriyaki chicken pizza is priced at RM18, with nothing on the menu exceeding RM30.

Amaze K serves coffee supplied by EspressoLab; all in all, a decent destination for folks living or working in Kota Damansara. Parking was a breeze on this street on a recent weekday afternoon.

Next up, Ttp.my, billed as Malaysia's first 'print cafe,' run by a band of local designers in Solaris Dutamas.

Visitors can purchase or place orders here for everything from business cards & rubber stamps to poster prints & button badges.

The food selection is neither expansive nor too expensive: A basic burger comprising a 90-gram minced chicken patty in a wholemeal bun with cheese, a sunny-side-up & fries costs RM15.90.

Beef burger with a black sesame bun; could be better in terms of freshness & flavour. The fries are addictive though, hot & fluffy.

Garlic wraps stuffed with fried chicken (RM8). Edible but kinda unexceptional.

The coffee is OK; Ttp.my is one of Solaris Dutamas' more peaceful cafes, extremely hidden on a block behind the main Publika complex, so it could work as a refuge for folks seeking a calm escape for lunchtime. 

Amaze K
23, Jalan PJU 3/44, Dataran Sunway, Kota Damansara, Petaling Jaya
Mon-Sat, 8am-6pm

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.

TTP.MY Print Cafe
D5-G4-03 Solaris Dutamas, Jalan Dutamas, Kuala Lumpur
Mon-Sun, 9am-8pm

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.

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As a separate initiative, the latest edition of Eat Drink KL: 100 Favorites for January-March 2014 is now online, featuring 100 pretty nice eateries, including more than 20 new entries for this quarter. This eBook of restaurant recommendations is available for free, convenient reading on computers, tablets & smartphones at this link: http://eatdrinkkl.publ.com/Eat-Drink-KL-100-Favorites-Jan-March-2014 (This link expires March 31, 2014; see blog entries after that date for new link).