Ayam Kampung Uptown, Damansara Uptown

Promising 'Malay banana leaf' rice, Ayam Kampung Uptown puts a traditional Nusantara village twist to the South Indian staple, drenching its Set Daun Pisang with kuah masak lemak, kari ayam and Padang-style kalio rendang, complete with acar and tempeh (RM6). The ensemble tastes unmistakably more Malay than Indian, with a ferocious fieriness in the gravies.

True to the restaurant's name, the banana leaf rice can be complemented by ayam kampung goreng (RM6; definitely on the drier side as far as fried chicken goes) and other classic hometown ingredients like ulam (RM1), plus sambal hijau, sambal belacan and budu (RM1 each). All in all, this marks an interesting variation that won't dislodge regular BLR from its beloved-food perch, but Ayam Kampung Uptown could still be worth checking out for a different perspective.

Ayam Kampung Uptown
70G, Jalan SS21/62, Damansara Utama, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. Daily, 11am-3pm. Tel: 03-7733-4638

This post first appeared on eatdrinkkl.com

Ka-Tib-Khao, Laos

Ka-Tib-Khao could be Vientiane's perfect place for a porcine lunch - minced pork cooked with fish sauce and Lao herbs in banana leaf, pork jerky soup, and pork sausage wraps, washed down with the country's own Beerlao.

Flos Cafe, Cheras

This florist's studio, hidden on the fourth floor of a shop-lot, is also a dessert-and-coffee parlour by reservations only, run by the friendly duo of Daniel and Justin. It's worth the effort to text Flos Cafe to make a booking for freshly baked, freshly brewed fare.

Limited servings are available of the pavlova, more indulgently creamy than crunchy, and the chocolate pistachio eclair, both garnished with edible flowers for fancy-pansy visual pleasure. Coffee can be either serious (the Yunnan pour-over) or playful (a layered latte with milk and honey).

Flos Cafe

30-4-2, Block A4, Cheras Business Centre, Jalan 5/101C, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur.

Generally open Tues-Sun, 11am-8pm, but WhatsApp 018-2199-912 first to make a booking.

This post first appeared on eatdrinkkl.com

Roti & Kopi House, Damansara Uptown

Roti & Kopi House roars into Damansara Uptown with modernised locally inspired specialities like the Roti Tiger (RM9.90; house-baked panini-style toast, crispy-creamy with butter and kaya, plus cheese and roasted almond bits, like eating bread with an apam balik stuffing) and the Kopi Harimau (RM18; siphon-brewed coffee that showcases Johor's Liberica dark roast, packing a punch that's tempered with sides of brown sugar syrup and evaporated milk). Familiar favourites like sticky-fingered, coconut-filled kuih koci pulut hitam (RM3.50) also pepper the selection.

Roti & Kopi House
101C, Level 1, Tower C, Damansara Utama (Uptown), Petaling Jaya, 47400 Selangor. Open Mon-Fri, 7am-7pm; Sat-Sun, 8am-8pm.

This post first appeared on eatdrinkkl.com

Haute & Cold Gelateria, Laos

On a sweltering afternoon in Vientiane, seek relief at Haute & Cold, with locally inspired gelato and sorbet flavours like cempedak or ginger chestnut, plus gelato-blended cocktails.

This post first appeared on eatdrinkkl.com