Eat Drink KL

Thursday, January 29, 2015

Kenny Hills Bakers @ Bukit Tunku

Bear with us for a bit of history in introducing this place: It begins with Malaysian filmmaker Au Tai Hon, who was a major fan of Solaris Dutamas' Craft Bakers, which closed last November when its owners left KL. Au, a co-founder of the much-missed Yogitree restaurant at The Gardens, lost no time in hiring Craft Bakers' head baker Johnny & secured the bakery's recipes to nurture this new patisserie of his own in Bukit Tunku, calling it Kenny Hills Bakers, a nod to his neighbourhood's old name.

Kenny Hills Bakers opens this week; step inside & the irresistible fragrance of fresh baking might sweep you off your feet. Hand-crafted sourdough loaves, ciabatta bread & baguettes made with stone-ground organic flour share the showcase with croissants, scones & tarts, supplying a sensational excuse to indulge in the most satisfying of carbs.

This has the feel of a real community space, with customers from nearby strolling in & out, some buying bread to take home & others lingering over coffee. Seating is limited inside, so most folks will have to endure the heat outside - thankfully, it's a calm & leafy setting. Kenny Hills Bakers has no signboard for now, so it still retains the charm of a hidden secret.

Fluffy-flaky croissants (RM6) with sides of salted butter & kitchen-made marmalade (RM2 surcharge); prices here hit harder than initially expected, but the top-flight ingredients & painstaking attention to detail do combine to elicit extra-delicious results.

Slather lots of Kenny Hills' chunky-creamy peanut butter on rye bread, but beware: a bite may coax you to buy a whole jar.

Don't skip the banana almond tarts (RM10) - they give tarts a good name. Warm raisin scones (RM6) prove worthwhile too.

The pies have it - meaty-buttery ones, only minutes out of the oven if you're fortunate enough, stuffed with slow-cooked beef & Swiss brown mushrooms or succulent chicken & leek (RM10 or RM18, depending on the size). We prefer the beef - it's tastier.

Kenny Hills Baker is serious about its coffee, with single-origin beans currently roasted by Solaris Dutamas' Hot Shots. Cappuccinos, lattes & flat whites all clock in at RM10 each; organic tea - English Breakfast & Earl Grey - costs RM9 per cup.

Affogato arrives with Kenny Hills' own salted caramel ice cream, pretty mellow in flavour, perfect for steamy afternoons. RM15.

Cold-pressed juices are offered too - try the passion fruit with wild honey, winningly balanced & natural-tasting. RM10.

Expect the selection to expand in the days ahead - there'll be banh mi with chicken liver pate (RM18), roasted vegetable croque monsieur (RM18), quiche with house-cured salmon & broccoli (RM18) & more. And expect to hear much more about this friendly bakery-cafe in the weeks to come.

Kenny Hills Bakers Taman Tunku
I-1B, Taman Tunku, Off Langgak Tunku, Bukit Tunku, Kuala Lumpur. Currently open daily, 730am-7pm. Tel: 03-6206-4111

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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.

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Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Sunday Bubbly Brunch @ The Bee, Publika

The Bee is set to get even bubblier this February, serving Valentine's Month brunches every Sunday with a free flow of Cava.

An offer worth toasting to: Enjoy flute after flute of Catalonian sparkling wine to brighten your weekend. This promotion is available exclusively at The Bee's Publika branch for RM90++ per person, inclusive of one brunch platter, beginning Feb. 1.

Each customer can choose one platter to couple with the Cava: Our best bet is The Bee Breakfast, a princely portion of two eggs done your way, an option for either premium chicken sausages or beef bacon, plus Mexican ranch-style beans, kitchen-made potato hash, roasted mushrooms, grilled tomatoes & toast. A combination that fully captures the familiar flavours that The Bee has become beloved for in the past five years.

Fans of Eggs Benedict & Eggs Atlantic can have 'em here - perfectly poached eggs on poppy seed toast with sauteed spinach & grated cheese, crowned with a choice of smoked salmon, turkey bacon or beef bacon, coated in creamy hollandaise sauce.

If you prefer something that surfaces with some leaves, then order the Breakfast Burritos, featuring warm tortillas stuffed with chicken slices, scrambled eggs, grilled potatoes & cheese, served with side salad & salsa. For lighter eaters though, this one.

We're fans of The Bee's French Toast, which boasts a home-made taste that might unexpectedly evoke childhood breakfast memories. Sliced grilled brioche richly soaked in egg, bolstered by a luxurious heaping of whipped cream, fresh bananas, strawberries & pure maple syrup. Note that the bread is supple yet dense; it might not suit folks who like fluffier French toasts.

The Bee produces very respectable buttermilk pancakes - thick but tender, a triumph of texture, tastily layered with either sauteed bananas glazed in butterscotch or wild berries with cream, bathed in syrup & butter. A back-to-basics illustration of what a weekend brunch is really all about - food that makes us happy. And of course, bubbly makes everything better.

The Bee

36B, Level G2, Beside The Square, Publika, Solaris Dutamas, Kuala Lumpur.

Open 11am-late weekdays, 10am-late weekends. Tel: 03-6201-8577