The Village @ Putrajaya Pullman Lakeside

Nestled near the Putrajaya convention centre, Pullman Putrajaya Lakeside is hardly humming with crowds, but it's worth checking out for the serenity and quaint ambience.

The Village is the most interesting outlet here, serving tapas on the lakefront.

A spacious, breezy site, but the furniture kinda clashed with the surroundings.

Despite the lack of customers, the food is not bad. The tartar of smoked salmon, mackerel and snapper tasted both fresh and refreshing!

Anchovies, cream cheese and smoked piquillo peppers on toast. We should have realized how salty this would be. Pretty yummy nonetheless.

Foie gras with blueberry coulis and brioche. Can't go wrong with foie gras.

The Village,

Pullman Putrajaya Lakeside.

Tel: 8890-0000

Cinnamon @ Shangri-La

Lotsa tantalizing cakes, cookies and pastries here to satisfy our carb cravings.

The so-called "Obsession," a nicely designed cake that tasted like a smooth blend of cream cheese and white chocolate. Guilt-inducing, but we still finished every bite.

The almond cinnamon cake was slightly less successful. A bit on the dry side.

Some of these might look too pretty to eat, but they're also too pricey to buy.

Cinnamon,

Shangri-La Hotel.

Tel: 2032-2388

China Bar & Lounge @ Pullman Putrajaya Lakeside

A pleasant, cosy hotel lounge, but the alcohol selection is woefully limited.

China Bar & Lounge,

Pullman Putrajaya Lakeside.

Tel: 8890-0000

Chef N Brew @ Plaza Damansara

Decent food, reasonable prices, large portions. What more could we ask for?

Of course, it doesn't hurt that this is a pretty good-looking restaurant.

Dunno what the lunch crowd is like, but evenings are pleasantly sedate.

Baked mussels. Fairly fresh and not overpowered by the sauce.

Spicy tuna salad. A healthy choice. Again, the tuna tasted satisfyingly fresh.

Chilli lamb. The menu calls this their speciality. A bit too spicy for our liking.

Bistro Cooler, lemon juice and Tequila Pop (tequila and sprite).

Chef N Brew,

Plaza Damansara.

Outpost Cafe @ Mutiara Damansara

The kind of place that could have been my favourite hangout 15-20 years ago.

In line with the current Star Trek mania, there are several novelty items on the menu, including this Transporter Pad, comprising pancakes, ice cream and peaches. Not bad at all.

Mango Smoothie and a thick, creamy Nutrimeal French Vanilla Milkshake with "vitamin shots." One of the best milkshakes in the Klang Valley!

Outpost Cafe,

Cineleisure.

Deutsche Haus @ Changkat Bukit Bintang

Not the best outlet on Changkat Bkt Bintang, but the food and service are reliable enough to ensure that this place won't vanish anytime soon.

The sausage platter is a good bargain, offering an assortment of Hungarian, Thueringer, Emmenthaler and Nuerenberger sausages on one plate. Just don't ask us which is which!

Impeccably cooked pork knuckle, its tender flesh coated with crisp crackling.

Trapiche Astica Merlot Malbec and vodka cranberry.

Deutsche Haus,

Changkat Bukit Bintang.

Kirishima

One of the city's better Japanese outlets, with ever-increasing customers.

The food options and prices here are commendable. You can have a pretty satisfying meal at a reasonable cost.

Crabmeat cream croquette. This guilty pleasure arrived piping hot at the table.

Soft shell crab salad. A simple salad that tasted superb. The crab was crispy and not oily at all, making it the perfect foil for the crunchy raw veggies.

Oven-baked unagi on top of a California roll with mayo and shrimp. A melt-in-your-mouth pleasure oozing with flavour.

Avocado, soft shell crab and tempura prawn rolled in rice paper. No sushi rice meant more ingredients. This spicy roll wasn't big but was generously stuffed.

Fried garlic rice in hot stone bowl. OK, but overshadowed by everything else.

Kirishima,

Dua Annexe, Jalan Tun Razak.

Tel: 2162-8127

B's @ Pullman Putrajaya Lakeside

Pullman Putrajaya's 24-hour outlet offers both buffet and a la carte selections.

Customers can sit on the outdoor terrace to savour the lake view or eat in air-conditioned comfort inside (no prizes for guessing which one we chose, considering the recent weather!).

Pullman's Asian Delight Pizza, a thin-crust concoction topped with squid, clams, chicken ham, Sarawakian pineapple, mushrooms, egg, coconut chilli paste and mozzarella. A brilliantly creative and surprisingly tasty combo.

B's Restaurant,

Pullman Putrajaya Lakeside.

Tel: 8890-0000

Dome @ Pavilion

Not all Domes are created equal. Pavilion's outlet seems breezier and more inviting than its counterparts elsewhere, but the food feels inferior.

The Pesto Caesar Salad appeared extremely unattractive ... but hey, unskinned chicken is healthier, right? Sadly, the salad was bland beyond words.

The Big Breakfast made us doubt the kitchen crew's competence. They totally botched the eggs. But the hash brown was nice and crisp, while the ham and sausages were perfect.

A hearty serving of muesli with yoghurt and assorted fruits capped what might look like breakfast, but was in fact dinner.

Green tea and a Berry Bliss concoction of fruit puree, milk and yoghurt.

Dome Cafe,

Pavilion.

Tel: 2143-8588